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C. Kendrick. 



-LIVE- 
RELIGIOUS ISSUES 



-OF- 



THE DAY; 
Rules and Principles for Bible Study, 



WITH MANY- 



^kernp\\f\cat\ons n El^o.. 



-ALSO- 



Examples for Public Bible Readings, 



BY- 



1 



CARROLL KENDRICK 




Nashville, Tenn. 
GOSPEL ADVOCATE PUB. CO., 

1890. 



y t& 



Copyrighted 1890, by 
Dr. Carroll Kendrick. 



rREFACE AND INTRODUCTION. 



Houses have porches and vestibules, and books have prefaces and 
introductions. The tabernacle Moses built had only an outer court, 
which was entered from the outside world. From this outer court 
the entrance was directly into the first holy place, which may be re- 
garded -as the vestibule of the most holy place, as the church is the 
vestibule of the "House not made with hands." This seems to be a 
good example. Luke gives us a preface or introduction, without call- 
ing it either. And as this is designed to be the entrance to a Bible 
book, reference is made to Bible examples. Mortal man will never 
improve on these. 

For thirty years Christians, whose judgment deserves respect, have 
urged me to publish my Rules for Bible Study, with certain exempli- 
fications; and many discourses have been demanded for publication. 
Those regarded as our wisest men have encouraged me to publish a 
book containing these matters. Before the war I made some prepa- 
ration. In fact, one part of the work was ready for the press. For 
years after the war I was so occupied providing for my family, that 
I could do little more than evangelistic work, write some for the papers, 
etc., and of course I gave some attention to reading and study. Af- 
ter coming to California, and measurably giving up the practice of 
medicine, I gave increased attention to study and writing, with spe- 
cial reference to my long-contemplated work. In the meantime, the 
condition of the churches was changed materially; and, desiring to 
adapt my book to the case in hand, I re-studied, and, in the last two 
years, have re-written the whole, except the extracts. 

Perhaps modesty will not be offended, if I state here, that, as a 
preparation for such a work, I have made it a rule to read careful Iv 
and consecutively the whole of the Old and New Testament every 
year for over fifty years, in our morning and evening family worship, 
besides far more in the special, critical and general investigation of 
the many themes there presented. In my investigations I have had 
the principal aids the learned employ in such investigations. 

In these careful, long protracted, and repeated investigations and 

(iii) 



iv PREFACE AND INTRODUCTION. 

reviews, I have sought to know no Calvinism, Arminianism, Arian- 
ism, Socinianisin, or any other ism. I have sought neither to agree nor 
disagree with Luther, Calvin, Wesley, or any other man,— or even with ' 
my own previous utterances ; and, in some instances, I have found it 
necessary to change, and oppose my former views. Believing that the 
Bible, and no other book contains the will of God concerning us, and all 
we need to know, and can know of his worship and service; that God 
addresses man in his own language, meaning by his words just what 
the people addressed meant by them, and that these words can be 
understood only by applying to them the same rules of interpretation 
we apply to other communications ; that the right of private judg- 
ment is a sacred right ; that we owe it to ourselves, in view of our 
frailties, and the fearful results of ''perverting the holy scriptures," 
which some did " to their own destruction," to make the most candid 
and thorough investigations possible on all these points, — I have la- 
bored much to learn the divine will. When — as in many instances, 
I have failed to understand the inspired word ; or if there was a re- 
maining doubt, I have rested on the subject for a time, and then re- 
newed the investigation. Some questions are still in abeyance. They 
may never be clear to me, and till they are I shall not trouble others 
with my uncertain conjectures concerning them. 

Not understanding what is written leaves us as if it had not been 
written. It is not a revelation to us except so far as we understand it. 
Moses E. Lard was one of the most intellectual men of his age, or 
of any age or country— he was also a learned and true man. In the 
preface to his translation and commentary on Paul's letter to the dis- 
ciples at Rome, he utters some truths concerning that letter and his 
purpose, which I would apply to my purpose and to the ichole Bible, 
thus: 

" I greatly felt the need of a work, the sole aim of which should be 
to determine precisely what Paul means regardless of what that 
meaning favors or disfavors. Such a work I could not command. 
• * * The sole aim, then, of the present commentary is to 
ascertain the exact sense of Paul, and to express it in terse, clear 
English. How far this has been accomplished, I dare not venture to 
say Of what I have aimed to do, I am a perfectlv competent judge ; 
of" what I have really done, I may be a very poor one. - " • 
I have studied the former (difficult) passages still I have not been able 
to realize additional light from further study. I have then, but not 
sooner, set down my conclusions. * * * The reader will 
note that I have never seemed to think whether my expositions were 
favoring Calvinism, Arminianism or anv other ism, and this is strictly 
true. Indeed I have been concerned solely with the sense of 1 an I, and 
neither the sense nor non-sense of others. * * My am_ 

bition has been, so far as practicable, to make a book for the common 



PREFACE AND INTRODUCTION. v 

reader. I have, therefore, refrained from unintelligible allusions, the 
use of foreign words, and citations of unfamiliar authors ; in tine, 
from everything which could wear the appearance of mere display, 
without being at the same time, positively necessary. * * * 
In regard to Lexicons to the New Testament, I feel it a duty to say, 
that I have not always found them as trustworthy as I could have 
wished. They, like commentaries, are usually very perceptibly 
tinctured with the peculiar sentiments of their authors. The same 
remark applies to grammars. * * * I have endeavored to 
ascertain the sense of each separate passage, by whatever means 
seemed fullest of promise of success, without slaving it especially to any 
one method." 

No partisan can be a correct and reliable translator or commentator. 
No one with a special theory or party to serve, can be safely trusted 
as a commentator or translator, or in collecting testimonies and draw- 
ing conclusions. 

In endeavoring to make what I have ventured to call a Bible book, I 
not only determined to find, as far as possible, and set forth the true 
meaning of the inspired record, but, also, to stop where that record stops. 
Beyond the rays of light from this luminary, all is darkness, and I 
w r ould neither lead others nor go myself into it. Those who walk in 
the dark are equal to the blind, and, like them, are ever liable to " fall 
into the ditch." 

What is not written we cannot know, and what is not made plain 
we cannot be certain about, — and, therefore, should not affirm. 
Many professors and writers affirm various things which they cannot 
prove to be true ; as, that Peter ever resided at Rome, that James was 
the Bishop of Jerusalem ; that a cubit is eighteen inches; the precise 
position of several articles of furniture in the Tabernacle, the exact 
chronology of certain events recorded in the Bible, etc. Hence the 
lesson in this work on "what we do not know." It is generally 
right to tell the whole truth, but might it not be safer to stop short a 
little, sometimes, than to venture beyond, and say things we cannot 
prove to be true ? 

Many of the most important matters I trust are, in the following 
pages, very clear. Others are rather suggestive than demonstrative. 
My space rendered it impossible to bring forward all the testimonies, 
or note all the fair conclusions. Of the rules laid down I could give 
but a few exemplifications, w T hen I would have given many— both for 
the sake of showing the importance of the rules, and for the sake of 
understanding the subjects which exemplify them. 

Nor could I investigate a£? the "live religious issues of the day." 
Hence I marked out the word the, after it was written, and call it sim- 
ply " Live Religious Issues." If this volume is favorably received, I 



vi PREFACE AND INTRODUCTION. 

shall, if the Lord will, soon issue a second volume under the same 
title. The matter for this is now measurably ready. In this volume 
I publish as much as it is safe to put into a two dollar book. Even a 
second volume of equal dimensions cannot contain a full, and what I 
take to be a much needed investigation, of all the live religious issues 
of the day. 

Even a careful reader may, at first, fail to see the force of testimony, 
or -the correctness of conclusions. I went over these and others many 
times, before I clearly understood them, or ventured to set down my 
conclusions. I would have no one to adopt my opinion, my word, or 
my conclusions. Each one should think and judge for himself. But 
I would caution those who really desire to know the truth, to be very 
careful, and as thorough as possible in their investigations, before com- 
ing to any settled conclusions. Many use the right of private judg- 
ment very unwisely. They decide, and are very positive often, when 
they have done nothing deserving to be called investigation. 

1 have quoted more Scriptures because I feared the reader would not 
turn and read a simple reference. Very seldom is this done. And in- 
stead of occupying much space in foot notes, I have put into the body 
of the manuscript whatever seemed necessary to the understanding 
of the subject; because notes, like references, are seldom read; 
and the notes would occupy much the same space. If a thought or a 
testimony is material to the subject, it should be placed where it will 
be most surely read. If it is not material, it does not deserve even a 
note.— Notes may, however, sometimes be proper ;— certainly they 
are often convenient for the author,— as are appendices ; but not gen- 
erally. 

I cannot hope to avoid criticism. Indeed, I can not hope to avoid 
somewhat deserving it, though I have labored hard for this, and I 
have a comforting assurance that the Judge, in the great day, will 
smile upon this whole effort. That he may, is the highest of my 
ambition. 

Had my purpose been to please man, or to make money, certainly 
I should have written differently. I have some idea what kind of 
preaching and writing will please men and get money, though I have 
not studied the subject much. I have studied to please God and to 
benefit man, both by preaching and writing. 

The one great cause for mourning and care, in all the true Zion of 
the Lord, is a lack of true piety,— a lack of heart devotion. This includes 
a lack of Bible knowledge, of Bible study, of prayer, and of abounding 
liberality and good works. Hence the prevalence of weakness where 
strength should abound ; of worldliness, worldly conformity, worldly 



PREFACE AND INTRODUCTION. vii 

devices, and worldly-isms generally in the work and worship of the 
Church. Numbers, wealth, and popularity with denominationalists 
and a world that would crucify afresh the Son of God, are often more 
popular and more sought than true piety and conformity to the divine 
will. Multitudes claim to take the Bible alone, and put on this claim 
as much emphasis as Chillingworth did, and then follow their own 
ways, or the devices of men. It was of this class of men that Jesus 
said: "How can ye believe, which receive honor one of another, and 
seek not the honor that cometh from God only." John v. 44; xii. 
43: "For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." 
Of the same class Paul said : " Do I seek to please men ? For if I yet 
pleased men" — such men — "I should not be the servant of Christ." 
Gal. i. 10. The approbation of good and intelligent men is next to 
the approbation of God. Paul sought to please all such. But James 
iv. 4 says: " The friendship of the world," (which does not include 
the good,) "is enmity with God. Whosoever, therefore, will be a 
friend of the world is the enemy of God." How many really and 
practically believe this ? 

There may be among the erring leaders some faith and piety, some 
fear of God and some desire for the salvation of souls. I hope so, 
though skepticism is fast cropping out among them. But their lives 
indicate, even to the world, a dominance of love for place and power, 
for money and worldly honor, for ease and comfort. Hence they 
claim success for the gospel when they have only gained numbers and 
popularized themselves with the world and with worldly minded church 
members. They say the world is getting better, far better, and, to 
prove this, they count the numbers of nominal believers in Christ, in 
all lands, including Romanists and all sects and parties ! They over- 
look the well-attested fact that, perhaps the greatest calamity that 
ever befell true Christianity was, the making of what Constantine 
called Christianity, the religion of the world— making it popular; 
conforming it to the world till Satan himself could have little if any 
objection to it ! Constantine promoted the preachers, and made them 
what the world called great men. The devil would, no doubt, do that 
now. From that corrupt mass true Christians had to withdraw, and 
suffer the bitterest persecution. True Christians could not persecute, 
retaliate, or render evil for evil; but they could "avoid them," in 
obedience to Paul, Rom. xvi. 16, 17. They could "come out from 
among them, and be separate," as "saith the Lord." 2 Cor. vi. 17. 
They could heed the voice that said : " Come out of her, my people, 
that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her 
plagues." Rev. xviii. 4. 



viii PREFACE AND INTRODUCTION. 

Popular Christianity has always been a deadly persecuting power, 
revengeful and unscrupulous. And so it will be till the world is con- 
verted to the humility of the gospel. The true copyists and followers 
of Jesus "are not of the w r orld." " If ye were of the world the world 
would love its own, but because ye are not of the world, but I have 
chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." John 
xv. 19. See also John xvii: 14-16. The contrast is like that be- 
tween light and darkness. Union with a corrupt mass, however 
numerous and popular, is not Christian union. Calling on the faith- 
ful to "come out from amongst" those who "cause divisions and of- 
fenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid 
them," is the work of Paul— not of a sect-maker. " For they that are 
such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly ; and by 
good w T ords and fair speeches, deceive the hearts of the simple." 
Rom. xvi. 17, 18. 

The separation of the righteous from the wicked has been the fixed 
purpose of the Almighty in all his dealings with man, as appears in 
every book in the Bible. This work will not be entirely completed 
till the final judgment. But it is our duty to work to this end, as the 
Lord and his apostles evidently did. To divide good people is wicked 
in the extreme. But to separate the righteous from the wicked, as a 
shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats, is the righteousness of 
God. Matt. xxv. 31-33. 

It is well to hold very firmly to the first principles of the gospel. 
No true man can yield an item at this point. But true Christianity 
reaches out after Christian life in all its details, and we need not de- 
ceive ourselves by supposing we are safe because we are right in first 
principles. The Mormons and many others are measurably right as 
to these. We must look to the daily life of those who have rightly 
observed first principles. At this point is our failure. And so has it 
been in the history of the Church. Let us correct this sad mistake. 

Another fact of the utmost importance is this: "The ways, means 
and agencies now generally employed, are not equal to the work to be 
done. The cause is not equal to the effect sought. As well might we 
look to raising wheat by planting tares. These means and agents 
may make a national church again, and make a profession of Chris- 
tianity popular with "the world, the flesh and the devil; " but they 
cannot convert the Church, and therefore can never convert the world 
to the true spirit and life of primitive Christianity. As worshipers will 
not become more holy than the objects they worship, so converts 
will not be better than the agents and instrumentalities which make 
them. We must have the true, pure gospel, as it was preached 



PREFA CE AND IX TR OD UCTIOX. ix 

and taught at first— all this, and no more. This will do the work, so 
far as it can be accomplished. Where this fails "they would not be 
persuaded though one rose from the dead." 

Hence, now, to sum up, I have had in all my labors, and have dis- 
tinctly noted in my long meetings, the four following objects, which 
are constantly apparent in the following pages, viz : 

I. An increase of piety, prayer, brotherly love, scriptural knowledge, 
and abounding in good works among those who claim to be Chris- 
tians. This includes "setting in order the churches," qualifying 
men to be officers, etc. 

II. Reclaiming of straying sheep — prodigals from the Church — 
with all that is necessary thereto, and with all that might hinder de- 
partures, and make every disciple " strong in the Lord." 

III. The Union of all sincere Christians — " Christian union on 
Christian principles;" moulding all in the same mould, rilling all 
with the same spirit, arming all with the same armor, and making all 
"of one heart and one soul," the union Jesus prayed for, and which 
is exemplified in the union of the Father and the Son, Paul and 
Apollos, and all the first Christians. 

IV. The conversion of the world,— Jesus has made no provision for 
this except through this union and devotion of his "friends." 

If the standard of piety was properly elevated, backsliders reclaimed 
and Christians united, we might look for the conversion of the world 
to this "pure and undefiled religion." Then ivhat a world! "The 
days of heaven on earth," the coming down of the New Jerusalem, 
and the dwelling of God with man again, as in Eden. A failure in 
the accomplishment of these ends would give the will of Satan and 
the days of hell on earth ! And what a hell ! In proportion, too, as 
we succeed or fail, so will there be the will of God and the days of 
heaven, or the will of Satan and the days of hell on earth. To aid 
the right, in this immense struggle, is the object of this volume. 
And it proposes God's ways, not man's. Shall it aid in rallying the good 
and the true to the standard of the cross, for the grandest struggle 
known to mortals, and for the best ends v ever contemplated in earth or 
in heaven ! The Lord prosper it on its mission! C. Kendrick. 

Downey, California. 1890. 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I. 
Christianity its own Moral Demonstration 19-24 

How we judge men— Generals, judges, etc.— Medicines- 
Civil governments, societies, nature, art and science— So 
try the Church, the Bible— Errors and Truths, understand 
them, and let them plead their own cause, relying on 
their own merits. 

CHAPTER II. . 

Importance and Completeness op Revelation 25-32 

We know nothing of God, Spirit, Creation;— Of God's 
will, our duty, or of a future existence, but by Revelation; 
and this Revelation, so absolutely necessary," claims to be 
perfect for the unconverted, and for the converted ; for 
all classes ; and by the most rigid trial, proves its claim ; 
and the importance of understanding Revelation. 

CHAPTER III. 

How to Study the Bible 33-44 

The Bible subject to rules, like other books — Reasons for 
failures in studying it; — Rules ; love of truth, pure motives 
and rightly dividing it ; with exemplifications ; dispensa- 
tions, persons and things ; — Moral, positive and ceremo- 
nial law T s ; — Other divisions and exemplifications. 

CHAPTER IV. 

The Speaker the Person Addressed, &c 45-58 

Cause of the address, what was to be accomplished, the 
circumstances connected with it ; exemplifications ; — The 
three parables, (Luke 15, John 3), — Conversation with 
Nicodemus ; — Applying the rules and explaining the pas- 
sages; — Collect all the testimony, — The new birth by this 
rule; Sum of the testimony, — Conclusions. 

CHAPTER V. 

Doubtful Passages 59-71 

Tenth rule ; — Doubtful scriptures and exemplifications ; — 
Of women speaking or being silent in the Church ; — 
Scriptural rights and duties of women, according to these 

(x) 



CONTENTS. xi 

rules; — Paul justified, the Scriptures harmonized, and 
order preserved. 

CHAPTER XI. 

Meaning of Words, Sentences and Paragraphs 72-90 

Analysis of words, sentences and paragraphs; — Exempli- 
fications; — Sermons on the wrong pronunciation and 
meaning of words, (Titus, 3: 5. Rom. 8 : 8.) — Religion; Con- 
vert and conversation, — The four items in conversation ; 
— Meaning of Life and Death ; — The Prodigal Son, dead 
and alive ; — Present Life and Death ; — Eternal Life and 
Death; — Sanctificatien, its meaning in the Bible exem- 
plified. 

CHAPTER VII. 

Manner of Doing Divine Commands 91-97 

Doing God's will in God's way — Exemplifications in the 
civil law and in the divine law; — Manner of observing 
the Lord's supper; — Carrying the Ark of the Covenant; 
— Bringing water out of the rock ; — Manner of teaching 
the Jews ; — Romans, Mahometans, protestants and Bible 
plans for evangelizing the world ;— Manner of observing 
the Lord's day ; other cures, and the conclusion accord- 
ing to these Rules. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

Importance of Sound Speech 98-103 

Imperativeness of this rule ; Its true meaning shown by 
many exerajDlifications ; The same idea in other words ; 
Many ordinances but no sacraments; We must call Bible 
things by Bible names, when we can ; Not add to or take 
from ; It requires the only course that can give us union; 
Forbids what will cause division, classes, strife, etc, 

CAAPTER IX. 

Importance of Clear Testimony 104-112 

Special reason ; — Meditation ; — Exemplifications ; Soul 
Sleeping and Infant baptism both rest on confessedly 
doubtful testimony and are unsafe ; Special reasons for 
observing the Sabbath, for destroying the Canaanites, and 
for sparing, and for punishing the wicked, and for the 
suffering of the righteous ; Why Jesus told the deciples 
before hand ; Why he died ; Importance and naturalness 
of meditation; Counting the cost ; Thinking. 

CHAPTER X. 
Figurative Language 113-126 

Figures a necessity ; Three manners of teaching — types, 
parables and literal ; What writers on Rhetoric say of fig- 



xii CONTENTS. 

ures ; Specimens of the hyperbole ; The Bible manner of 
stating these things ; Meaning of types' and parables by 
various authors, etc.; Rule 1 exemplified — Luke 15— Rom. 
9:20-21, Jer. 18, etc.;— The Potter and clay— Mat. 22 ;— 
The King's wedding feast; Blair's Rhetoric; warnings 
and instructions. 

CHAPTER XL 

Figures Founded on Facts 127-151 

Figures and facts, with exemplifications ; How to find the 
literal meaning ; The Steward, Luke 16.; Rich man and 
Lazarus ; Meaning of facts stated ; Lessons taught ; Shad- 
ows and substances ; Rule third ; Must harmonize figures 
with literal teaching ; Various exemplifications and expo- 
sitions of Scriptures; Parable of the tares. Mat. 13. 
"Withdrawing from the incorrigible. Rule fourth ; All 
have one leading point of likeness ; Exemplifications and 
expositions of many passages ; How to determine when 
language is figurative ; (3) Three rules for this — Ernesti, 
Campbell ; Observing the context, scope, analogy of 
Scripture; Many passages explained; Little children 
brought to the Savior ; Analogy of faith ; Allegorical lan- 
guage ; Symbolic and mystical action. 

CHAPTER XII. 



Etymological meaning ; types and antitypes ; Five im- 
portant items noted ; Deliverance of Israel ; The leading 
facts ; The nature of their bondage ; Their numbers in 
Egypt; How they came to believe in Moses; Three facts as 
to the relation of testimony to faith ; The character of 
the miracles wrought ; True and false miracles ; Effect of 
their faith in Moses; Not saved when they believed; 
Passing through the sea ; AVhat Paul calls their baptism 
into Moses ; Five facts noted ; When they were saved ; 
Israel in the wilderness ; Four other facts ; Their cross- 
ing Jordan and entering into the promised land ■ The ap- 
plication to Christians. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

The Jewish Tabernacle 173-193 

Stackhouse on early places of worship ; the importance 
of understanding the type ; Six items we can not be cer- 
tain about; description of Tabernacle and some of its 
furniture ; The Ark ; The altar of inscense ; The inscense ; 
The table of shew-bread ; The candlestick ; First holy 
place; Second holy place ; Outer court ; Thejaver; The 
altar of burnt offerings, and their anti-types in the New 
Testament; From Calmet, Brown, Sherwood, Watson and 
Jones ; Six important items ; The water of separation and 
its antitype ; Holy oil and its antitype, etc. 



COXTEXTS. xiii 

CHAPTER XIV. 
Consecration of Jewish Priests 194-23G 

The offerings ; Sprinkling on them the water of Separa- 
tion ; Washing them with water; How this holy water 
was made and used, and its antitype ; How they washed; 
never sprinkled or washed the clean ; Always the un- 
clean, to cleanse them ; They were clothed with priestly 
garments ; anointed with holy oil ; How it was made 
and its antitype; The Holy Spirit; The antitype of 
these four items— to make Christian priests; Qualifica- 
tions and duties of Jewish priests; Cain and Abel; 
Their worship, and why Cain's was not acceptable; A les- 
son for us ; Priests before Moses; Idol priests, etc.; Age 
and personal qualifications of Jewish Priests ; Their du- 
ties, to offer sacrifices, teach, take down, and carry, and 
put up the Tabernacle ; A lesson for Christian Priests ; 
They aided the government ; Application to us ; Moses' 
great mistake ; The emoluments of the priests ; The 
financial tithings ; The triennial tithings; The feasts of 
the Lord; Sabbath, new moon, passover, feast of weeks, 
feast of Tabernacles, three annual feasts, and their anti- 
types, in detail; Conditions on which the offerings of 
Jewish Priests were accepted and the antitype in detail. 

CHAPTER XV. 
Atonement and Gonernment of Israel 237-259 

Annual atonement day; — items ;— tradition and Bible 
teaching as to Tabernacle types and antitypes ; — first or 
Sinaitic Covenant ; use of the term Tabernacle ; — Golden 
Censor; things not yet made manifest; the veil, figura- 
tive; — Redemption from transgression under the old 
Covenant ; — the government of Israel, primary and per- 
manent; Judges, wise men from among the elders; — 
Shall judge righteously; — fear God, not man; — Fear a 
gift to blind the mind ; — Judges for the Lord and Judges 
for the city; elders, not necessarily officers; — never 
equivalent to any office; — officers chosen from among 
them ; — New Testament elders ;— bishops being called 
elders, no proof of their sameness; — duties of elders; — ■ 
duties of officers ; absurdity of young men being officers 
— elders; — preachers not congregational officials. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

Jewish Free-will Offerings and Figures, etc 2G0-272 

Voluntary offerings and their antitypes ; no antitype for 
constrained offerings; all voluntary in Christ; Collecting 
funds for special cases ; How Paul raised special collec- 
tions; How the Jews were able to give so liberally; why 
so much expense for the Tabernacle ; not to encourage 



xiv CONTENTS. 

pride but to teach moral worth from natural ; mistakes 
of commentators, etc. 

CHAPTER XVII. 
The Flood and Noah's Ark 273-285 

Analysis of 1 Peter iii: 18-21 (after reading Gen. vi, vii); 
Christ suffered for sins; guided by the Spirit; went and 
preached to spirits in prison through Noah; while the 
Ark was preparing; the Ark; saved from the wicked by 
water; saved in and by the Ark, from drowning; the 
like figure, or antitype, even baptism saves us ; meaning 
of the filth of the flesh ; the answer of a good conscience ; 
by the resurrection of Christ ; the synthesis, after a gen- 
eral and accurate acquaintance with Gen. vi, vii, viii, and 
1 Peter iii, and seeing that all this is typical of develop- 
ments in Christ ; Ruinous effects of sin ; Noah's faithful- 
ness; but one Ark, — but one Church; A fable of the 
giraffe, and how he got in ; but one door, — how Christ is 
the door ; the literal entrance ; safety in the Ark only ; 
all food, etc., in the Ark — the Church ; All light came 
from above and does now; all comfort, good society, 
good government in the Ark; its final landing; deliver- 
ing up the Kingdom ; landing of the Old Ship of Zion. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 
The Worship of God 286-295 

Meaning of worship, at length, critically ; heart reverence 
manifested by bowing and obedience, as God manifested 
his love by Christ; True Worship ; what is necessary to it; 
false or vain worship, and what it is, in detail ; mixed 
worship and what it is, exemplifications and warnings; 
the objects of worship, — to please God and share his bless- 
ings ; importance of pure worship ; transforming us into 
the image and likeness of the object worshiped ; Kinship 
to God and fitness for heaven. 

CHAPTER XIX. 
The Church in Prophecy 296-306 

Meaning of prophecy; — cases of miraculous prophetic 
teaching; Moses at Mt. Sinai; prophetic teaching con- 
cerning Christ; new covenant; Church and Kingdom; 
durability and triumphs of Christianity ; its establishment 
and organization ; apostasy foretold ; meaning of the 
dragon, heaven, etc.; other apostolic teaching on the 
apostasy; how this was brought about; agencies and in- 
strumentalities; warnings for us and confirmation of our 
faith. 



CONTEXTS. xv 

CHAPTER XX. 
An Outline of Post Apostolic History of the Church. . . 307-321 

Early triumphs of the gospel ; preached to every creature 
in 30 years— and how ; how Christianity was corrupted ; 
examples from leading Church histories showing the in- 
dependence of the congregations, election of their officers ; 
their choosing Paul a helper, overthrow of Church inde- 
pendency by the bishops, or clergy, and substitution of 
preacher rule; diocesan, Metropolitan, hierarchical rule; 
union of Church and State ; withdrawing of the faithful 
from corrupted worship; who are these lordly clergy- 
men ? ; they are the same to-day ; the Kingdom of the 
clergy ; the social worship of early Christians and clergy 
rule ; changes item by item ; praying, singing, etc.; or- 
ganization — government; retrograde steps — quoted from 
the best authors; — further recedings, from these cor- 
ruptions ; Sum of the testimony. 

CHAPTER XXI. 
Outline History of the Church Continued to A. D. 606. . . 322-343 

The social worship of the early Christians, and the wor- 
ship under clergy rule ; teaching of the early fathers as 
to these matters; their singing and the the theatrical 
music of the corrupters; profane and secular music; 
many authors quoted ; how we should sing ; social man- 
ner of their Lord's day worship; of their names and 
manner of speech; Bible names for Bible things; how 
errors and corruptions crept in; preachers leading the 
way ; the establishment of the one man pastor or bishop; 
the diocesan, Metropolitan, patriarchal, and papal pow- 
ers; union of Church and State under Constantine; vari- 
ous authors quoted; of withdrawing from corruptions 
and corrupters; the clergy further promoted and cor- 
rupted by the Emperor, etc.; vast numbers of seceders 
or puritans in all parts of the Empire ; sum of the points 
set forth; in tracing the true Church we go not to Rome 
or Constantinople, and look not for organization or per- 
fection. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

True Church from 606 to 11th Century and on to Luther. 344-358 

Papal claims; various quotations in proof; where the 
faithful were scattered and their persecutions ; the false 
and wicked ways and means of opposing them; from 
Gregory VII to Luther; various reformations or seces- 
sions, from the corrupters ; how they suffered and how 
they triumphed; Churches in many places and in all 
ages as pure as many apostolic churches the Lutheran 
reformation, 16th century ; general summary ; fulfillment 
of prophecy in the perpetuity of the Church; in the 



xvi CONTENTS. 

apostasy ; its several steps ; dangers of worldly popular- 
ity, members, wealth, etc., as shown in the history of 
the Church. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

The Divine Government 359-409 

What God has to govern; the material universe, and 
man, his crowing work ; He has three elements, the nat- 
ural, Providential and miraculous — definition of each ; 
attraction and gravitation, his ordinary governing power 
deposited in nature ; what the skeptic cannot know ; God 
still holds nature in his hand — Pres. Milligan; — how God 
governed man to time of Moses ; how he governed the 
Jews; the priests and their duties; special Judges; the 
Kingly government; the Synagogue worship; how he 
governs Christians; the work of Evangelists; preach, 
preacher, and preaching ; preachers not rulers — not pas- 
tors ; scriptural organization ; bishops and deacons in each 
congregation ; no general organization or confederation of 
the Churches ; qualifications of bishops and deacons ; their 
duties ; contrasts between bishops and evangelists ; an- 
swers to objections ; some mistakes ; Timothy and Titus 
not bishops; Evangelists never remained permanently 
in one place; Preachers subverted the divine govern- 
ment ; historic proof ; what we must do to restore it. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

The Missionary Work of the Church. 410-431 

Divine authority necessary; Church authority and its 
limitations ; Importance of brotherly love here also ; the 
Apostles and early Christians our examples; authority 
of example ; we are commanded to follow it ; hence 
when we find how and what they did we have found 
how and what we must do, so far as able, with certain 
limitations; the best way to spread the Gospel, — Paul's 
way ; Paul's four great missionary tours and their results ; 
sent by the church at Antioch and reported to it ; very 
little said about his support; he trusted in the promises 
of God, not in the promises of man. 

CHAPTER XXV. 

Church Co-operation 432-451 

Must have direct precept, apostolic example, or necessary 
inference ; raising funds for the poor and disbursing them 
missionary work ; how Paul did both ; churches did co- 
operate in choosing a man to travel with Paul to raise the 
funds ; they must have proceeded in an orderly and bus- 
iness-like 'way, and we must; the time, place and de- 
tailed manner not being given nothing against the facts — 
an example ; they had messengers, who could carry their 
will as well as their money ; we go as far as the record 
goes, and there stop, and hence have no humanly organ- 






CONTENTS. xvii 

ized societies on a money basis, what we piave certain- 
ly found 13 items ; what we have certainly not found — 10 
items; the finances of the church — how they collected 
money, by special collections, pledges, and especially by 
weekly contributions; excuses and objections; conclu- 
sion of the whole matter. 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

Church Finances. 452-464 

Importance of Church finances ; how money was raised 
under Moses ; regular taxes, free-will offerings and spe- 
cial collections; money collections under the Gospel; 
special collections, pledges, and the weekly contributions, 
all free-will offerings; aid for the poor — missionary work; 
all collections on the same principle and for one great 
jmrpose ; all fleshly appeals and human methods forbid- 
den ; the reason of our failures ; human plans, ways and 
motives instead of God's ; Absolute necessity for return 
to Apostolic Christianity in order to have Apostolic 
Christians, union, success, etc.; excuses and objections 
answered and difficulties removed, all by copying primi- 
tive examples ; cutting off Church amusements ; enter- 
tainments, worldliness, etc.; and walking closely in the 
narrow way. 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

Scriptural Church "Work 465-509 

Importance of music for good or evil ; following the di- 
vine rule would prevent discord as to instrumental music 
in the worship ; argument of Bishop Strossmayer against 
a pope applicable to this subject — i. e., its lack of aposto- 
lic recognition ; true worship, vain worship — true music, 
vain and corrupting music; (J. W. McGarvey,) his argu- 
ment; history of instrumental music in the worship — 
among the Jews ; learned men on the subject; it hinders 
obedience, and is, therefore, a disobedience ; its introduc- 
tion among Christians ; its inutility and the better way ; 
its violation of the laws of love ; examination of Rom. 
xiv and 1 Cor. viii; what we owe each other in things in- 
different; what Paul would do— what he did do; M. E. 
Lard on Rom. xiv, etc. — accountable for our brother's 
ruin ; what prominent men think of these things — Isaac 
Errett, I. B. Grubbs, J. W. McGarvey, Spurgeon, Camp- 
bell and others; what F. G. Allen says — Chrysostom and 
Fathers; a plain way open for peace and good will with 
God and man — God's own chosen way — who will walk 
in it \ 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

Preachers and Preaching, Teachers and Teaching, etc. . . 510-530 

Difference between preaching for the world, teaching for 
the church — the school of Christ ; the Bishops, the teach- 






xviii CONTENTS. 

ers ; the inefficiency and absurdity of pretending to teach 
by textuary sermonizing ; Christianity cannot be taught 
in this way ; the proper manner — the Bible class or social 
style, all present, book in hand, and having studied the 
lesson of the day, all read and take part, ask and answer 
questions; Law and Medical schools — lectures didactic, 
then the quiz ; 13 items in the manner of procedure on 
Lord's day ; not possible to fail to learn much this way ; 
comparison with the popular way ; the selfish pastors of 
the Jews — quotations, etc. — objections answered ; the re- 
sults of calling in the preachers to be pastors ; how the 
gospel did spread — man's way and God's way ; prodigal 
use of money in church houses ; in pastors, in costly and 
pridy church houses — results in figures and facts ; popu- 
lar course not God's way, and can never convert the 
world to the love and service of Christ ; God's drawing 
power not fine church houses, etc., but Christ lifted up ; 
a fair trial in San Francisco ; ancient synagogues of Sa- 
tan, and w 7 hat Jesus said of them ; many think they are 
rich, etc., when they are not ; the only safe way. 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

Sample Lessons for Lord's Day Worship 531-546 

Prayer — the tw T enty items in prayer, five of them investi- 
gated, and the others named ; worship — definition ; true 
worship, false or vain worship, mixed worship, the im- 
portance of worship, and the effects of worship ; various 
other lessons given for study and consideration ; manner 
of procedure ; aid to the Leaders, etc. 

CHAPTER XXX. 

Other Helps to the Study of the Bible 547-556 

Encouraging indications and facts; importance of know- 
ing the books in their order in the Bible, so one can turn 
to any book and chapter at once ; chapters, verses, etc.; 
chronology ; circumstances and customs ; books recom- 
mended; church history; the Holy Land and its sur- 
roundings, and the maps and books recommended ; vari- 
ety of maps ; self-made maps ; various translations ; 
commentaries ; history of the times of the apostles ; 
prayer, meditation and reviews. 

CHAPTER XXXI. 
Conclusion 557-564 

Conclusion of time, and preparation for it ; the tendency 
of sin and evil, and of truth and purity ; the religion of 
children and of parents; the wise and safe course ; the 
few who hunger for such a book ; the thirteen leading 
items had constantly in view in this book. 






Live Religious Issues of the Day. 

CHAPTER I. 

Cheistianity its Own Moral Demonstration. — How we judge men — 
generals, judges, etc., medicines, civil governments, societies, na- 
ture, art and science; so try the church, the Bible — error and 
truth ; understand them, and let them plead their own cause, re- 
lying on their merits. 

" Unto him be glory, in the church, by Christ Jesus, throughout 
all ages." Eph. iii: 21. 

" Every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself 
in love." Eph. iv: 16. 

We say of a general, a judge, a governor, or presi- 
dent : " He has proved himself capable and worthy," or 
" he has proved or shown himself ww worthy." We all 
say, without knowing the particulars, that a domestic 
system which makes the woman a slave, and the man 
a lazy lord, is a bad system. We say, too, that a civil 
government which impoverishes, enslaves, enfeebles, 
makes base, ignorant and miserable the common peo- 
ple, is a bad government. All say this on being assured 
of the condition of these people, and when we know 
nothing of the rulers, or the plan and particulars of the 
government. Our convictions may be much intensified 
by an acquaintance with the laws v and rulers themselves. 

Xo man needs evidence of majestic grandeur and 
power in the ocean, after gazing upon her restless waves. 
— The soul is to be commiserated who needs evidence 
of the beauties of nature, after looking upon a Califor- 
nia flower garden. How could one better prove the 
sweetness of music than by witnessing a good exhibi- 

(19) 



20 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

tion of its harmony and power ? How could one better 
prove the beauties of light than to witness the glories of 
the sun in a cloudless sky ? What would we think of one 
who, after witnessing such an exhibition, would demand 
proof of its reality, and beauty, and worth? Would 
not all the people say, he is a simpleton, and not to be 
reasoned with ? 

We say of certain medicines — they are good, owing 
entirely to their effects. Yet the effects are not all good, 
nor are they always sufficient to cure disease. Sometimes, 
perhaps, they even kill. What would be thought of a 
medicine — could such an one be found — whose effects 
were all good, and always sufficient to cure? What 
would we think of a man who, after witnessing its ef- 
fects in ten thousand cases, without variation, would ask 
for proof that it was a good medicine ? How would a 
community of intelligent people, who had witnessed its 
effects all their lives, regard a man who would come 
amongst them lecturing, at fifty cents admittance, to 
prove that it was a miserable humbug ? What would 
be their emotions when he undertook to ridicule it, and 
to persuade them that it was even dangerous? Think 
of one who would undertake to prove that the govern- 
ment of the United States is a dangerous caricature of 
human rights, and ought to be abolished, and yet offer 
nothing half so good in its place ! Would not our wis- 
est and best citizens think of a lunatic's home for him ? 
If he could offer some amendments to it he might be 
heard, for it is not perfect, and does not pretend to be. 
But when he proposes to abolish it outright, and has 
nothing better — or even half so good, to put in its place, 
he is regarded as a madman. How would a virtuous 
and intelligent people regard a man who would abuse 
and destroy our civil government, because some of our 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 21 

high officials have acted very badly ? Would they not, 
with one voice, say, blame the officials, not the govern- 
ment? Even a divine and perfect government, when 
administered by incompetent or unfaithful officials, must 
fail of its purpose, if indeed, it does not work evil. The 
evil comes from the officials, and the remedy is in re- 
moving them, and putting competent and faithful men 
in their places — not in changing or abolishing the laws. 
"Why not apply this to the divine government and its 
officials and citizens ? All these things have been abused, 
and are capable of being abused, and we need to distin- 
guish the abuse from the things abused. 

Now, let us consider a system more beautiful than the 
tinted rainbow, or the flowers of the garden of paradise ; 
more sweet than the perfection of all earthly harmonies ; 
more curative than all medicines ; more majestic than 
the roar and might of the ocean's waves ; more valuable, 
safe and just than all earthly governments; more to be 
desired than gold, or the cattle upon a thousand hills — 
one perfect in all its parts, for all men, for time and 
for eternity! Can we pause to examine carefully this 
system ? 

This system claims for itself, and recommends to all 
men — "Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things 
are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things 
are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things 
are of good report." It leaves out not one virtue, nor one 
grace. It furnishes every possible^caution, and warning, 
and promise. ~No man has ever discovered one desira- 
ble thing that it does not provide and promise to the 
faithful. Its Founder never made a mistake, and never 
turned away empty any one, or refused a kindness to 
the needy. And his system, like himself, perfect in all 
its parts, makes its adherents " complete in him," and 



22 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

" thoroughly furnishes them to all good works." And 
while there is not a virtue it does not provide, commend 
and encourage, there is not a vice nor evil it does not 
condemn, denounce and discourage. Its officials and 
adherents may go far wrong, as the officials in our Amer- 
ican government, and our citizens have often done, but 
the system here commended condemns all the wrongs of 
its friends as well as its enemies. It condemns error and 
wrong wherever found! It smiles on truth and virtue in 
every land and in every age. 

Men have made the very shallow mistake of blaming 
this system with what King David did, and with what 
SolomoUj Samuel, Saul, Jeptha, and others did. These 
men alone are to be blamed, and this system blames 
them as much as its mad opposers can blame them. 
The churches and preachers, and the elders and deacons 
often do very wrong, as do the members; but not by 
leave of this system — and not without its condemnation. 
What a wonderful wrong and injustice men commit, 
therefore, when they blame the system and its Author 
for the errors and failures of men who only profess and 
pretend to follow these perfect and just rules! The 
wrong is in not following them. Justice requires that 
complaint shall be made against the wrong doers I — not 
against the right system, any more than against the 
right doers. 

Not only does this system commend and encourage 
all truth, virtue and justice, and denounce all error, vice 
and wrong, but it presents motives of the very highest 
and most controlling nature, to encourage the good and 
discourage the bad. It punishes sin now, and threatens 
unutterably fearful and eternal punishment in the world 
to come ! Could it possibly do more to restrain vice and 
error? It rewards every good and virtuous act here, 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 23 

and promises an eternal and most glorious reward here- 
after! May not its author triumphantly ask: "What 
more could have been done to my vineyard, that I have 
not done in it ? Wherefore when I looked that it should 
bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?" 
Why blame the vineyard or its Maker for the failures 
and errors of the keepers? He himself complained of 
them, and will punish them according to their wrongs 
and crimes. Does justice require more? Can it be sat- 
isfied with less ? 

Skeptics and ungodly men denounce selfish and wick- 
ed preachers, and hypocritical church members; but 
they are not as severe and ready in their denunciations 
as this system and its Author. They cannot afford to 
be, because in denouncing wrongs in others they con- 
demn themselves. These men would not tolerate or en- 
dure the putting of their neighbors' sins on themselves. 
Let them not, then, put the sins of preachers, or others, 
who claim to be the servants of God, upon the divine 
system or its Author. And when we have this point 
clearly in mind, and are constrained to admit the clean- 
ness and perfection of Christianity; that it denounces 
all error and wrong, enjoins and encourages all truth, 
justice and virtue, and presents the highest possible mo- 
tives, inducements and rewards to put forward the good 
and prevent the bad, may we not most triumphantly 
claim that infinite wisdom, power and goodness could do 
no more?!!! 

And can such a system need external or any other 
evidence, endorsement or commendation ? More readily 
and rationally might we complain of the air we breathe, 
the water we drink and the light we enjoy! More 
plausibly might we require proof that they are blessed 
realities. 



24 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

"With this understanding, let us examine and exemplify 
Christianity, as it was exemplified in the lives of the 
first Christians, and as it is portrayed in the holy Scrip- 
tures, believing it will prove its own moral demonstration. 
Men may reject and denounce Bible ofiicials, and per- 
versions of divine teaching, such as Calvinism, Univer- 
salism, and a score of other isms, and be justified in so 
doing. But can they reject and denounce Christianity 
itself, in its own spotless garments of glory and beauty ? ! 
If so, then there is no system — -can be none, even in the 
most extravagant and wild fancy, that we will receive 
and approve — unless, indeed, we love the bad because it 
is bad, and hate the good because it is good. This, it is 
presumed, men claiming to be moral and rational crea- 
tures, will not readily do or admit. 

This is a very broad and bold-putting of the case; 
but if the reader will candidly examine the following 
pages, it is believed that he will not again complain of 
the confidence here expressed, or of the divine system. 



CHAPTER II. 

Importance and Completeness of Revelation. — We know nothing of 
God,Spirit, Creation — Of God's will — Our duty, or of a future exist- 
ence — but by Revelation — and this Revelation so absolutely nec- 
essary, claims to be perfect for the unconverted and for the 
converted — for all classes ; and, by the most rigid trial, proves its 
claim, and the importance of understanding Revelation. 

"No man knoweth the Son but the Father; neither knoweth any 
man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will re- 
veal him." Matt, xi : 27. 

" And no man knoweth who the Son is, save the Father; and who 
the Father is, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to 
reveal him." Luke, x: 22. 

This seems to mean that no one knows either the 
Father or the Son but by revelation. Those who think 
nature teaches God, (See Dr. Paley, etc.,) and that we are 
not dependent on revelation for the idea of a God, try 
to construe this language differently, and quote Ps. xix: 1. 
etc. But David only said, " The heavens declare the 
glory of God" — not God himself. And no candid and 
just criticism can be made on the quotations here 
made. They plainly mean that we are dependent on the 
Bible for all we know, or can know about God. This is 
one way of showing the importance of revelation. We can 
verify this declaration thus : 

" And many other signs truly did Jesus, in the presence of his dis- 
ciples, which are not written in this book." John xx : 30. 

Now, let some of those who do not feel their depend- 
ence on revelation tell us about at least some of these 
other signs : What were they ? Where were they given ? 
And what were the immediate effects of their perform- 
ance ? No one could answer either one of these ques- 
ts) 



26 LIVE REDIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

tions, or tell anything about them, if heaven depended 
on it ! We would not know the miracles he did perform 
if they had not been written ; and beyond what is writ- 
ten we can know nothing of them. 

" To hiin that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, 
and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, 
which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it." Rev. ii: 17. 

Tell us, then, what is that hidden manna ? And what 
is that new name ? Neither is revealed ; and no man 
can answer. But for revelation we would not know 
there is, or is to be manna or a new name in the future 
state, and beyond revelation we can know nothing of 
either. 

In Isa. Ixii : 2, about 700 B. C, we have a promise of 
a new name for the people of Christ, ivhen the Gentiles 
should come in. But for some 745 years, i. e., till the 
disciples were called Christians at Antioch, Acts xi : 26, 
no man knew what that new name was. Even Isaiah 
did not know. All people were as to that just as all now 
are concerning the hidden manna and the new name in 
the white stone. We shall know in due time. " Secret 
things belong to the Lord, our God ; but those things 
which are revealed belong unto us and to our children 
forever, that we may do all the words of this law." 
Deut. xxix : 29. 

Accordingly, no one can tell, with any certainty, the 
names of the thieves who were crucified with the Savior, 
or which one repented. No one can tell the material of 
which the Savior's garment was made, or how the gar- 
ment of John the Baptist was made. We know that 
the former " was woven from the top throughout," and 
was seamless ; and that the latter was of camel's hair ;" 
because we so read. But beyond revelation we know 
nothing. No spiritist or others who claim revelations, 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 27 

can tell with assurance, anything tliat is not in the holy 
Book of God. 

Men have ever been disposed to speculate about unre- 
vealed things. What an abnormal curiosity to know 
tilings they cannot know, and that could do them no 
possible good if they did know them ! Hence we are 
forbidden to strive about such things. As the boy cannot 
shoot and bring down the moon with his bow and arrow, 
and as it could do him no good if he had it here ; so it 
is folly and vanity for us to " seek to be wise above what 
is written."' Had we mastered a moiety of what is re- 
vealed, we should doubtless be less inclined to seek after 
unrevealed things. 

A little boy asked for a new book. 

The father said, " Why, what have you done with the 
book I gave you ? Have you lost it, or torn it up ?" 

" JSTo, pa." 

" Well, why do you want a new one ?" 

" Well, pa, I have read all the sense out of that one." 

He got the new book. And when we have read all 
the sense out of the Bible, we may venture to ask for 
another book. Not before. 

Where revelation seems imperfect and dark to a can- 
did inquirer, it is pretty safe to conclude that the impor- 
tance of the matters referred to is not very great. Mat- 
ters of no importance to us religiously are left out en- 
tirely. Matters of small importance are shadowy, or less 
clear. Matters of the first importance are made clear as 
the sun. Everything is made plain in proportion to its 
importance. But this is realized only by honest and 
earnest seekers for the will of God. And we should re- 
member that we are not always proper judges of what 
is good for us, or of importance to our best interest. 
When the little girl said, " Father knows best," she 



28 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

showed her faith, in him, and her lack of confidence in 
herself. This is a great lesson for ns all. 

If it could be necessary to offer further evidence for 
the importance of Revelation, we might refer to the 
deaf and dumb. No class of people are more thought- 
ful or ready in their discoveries. And yet not one of 
them has given evidence of having any idea of God, 
Spirit, or a future life, till they learned it from Revela- 
tion. Cases are on record where the brightest of them 
have shown ruinous sadness at the sight and prospect of 
death, and how they rejoiced when, from the blessed 
Bible, they learned about God, the resurrection and the 
future life. 

And at least one experiment has been made of raising 
a bright boy to manhood where he never heard human 
speech, or anything about God or Spirit. He was equally 
and entirely destitute of words and all ideas concerning 
God and the great matters of Revelation. 

THE COMPLETENESS OF REVELATION. 

Were we left to reason on this subject, and should we 
consider the character of God and the nature of the case, 
we would conclude that, a revelation from such a being, 
to such creatures as we are, would be both true and 
complete, having everything to make it reliable, adapt- 
edness, and all fullness, so as to accomplish all the good 
for man that could be accomplished by revelation. We 
have two sources of proof that it is complete, viz : 

1. It claims this perfection for itself. King David, Ps. 
xix : 7, when looking forward to the gospel of Christ, 
says : " The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the 
soul." This must refer to the unconverted — the wicked, 
who need conversion. It is perfect for them ; perfect to 
convert them. So Paul says. Rom. i : 16. The gospel 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 29 

is the " power of God unto salvation to every one that be- 
lieveth." Not a power, bnt the power, — not of men, but 
of God ; not to call attention to salvation simply, not 
part of the way, but unto all the way to salvation ; — "the 
'power of God unto salvation.'" This is just equal to Da- 
vid's declaration — "perfect, converting the soul." — So, 
1 Thes. ii : 13 — " Ye received the word of God, * * 

* • which effectually worketh also in you that believe." 
An effectual work is a complete work, a finished or perfect 
work. — If one says it works only in the believer ', let him 
read Rom. x : 17. " Faith comes by hearing, and hear- 
ing by the word of God." Also, John xx : 31 — " These 
are written that you might believe." There is no evi- 
dence that any one ever believed without this evidence, 
or was converted without this power. Not only is this 
power complete for converting sinners, but it is, so far as 
we are able to see, the only power for this purpose, see- 
ing that, without it, men have not been converted in all 
the ages since the gospel begun. 

Besides the unconverted, we have but one other class, and 
Revelation is complete for them. 

Paul, 2 Tim. iii : 16, 17, says : " All scripture given 
by inspiration of God, is profitable for doctrine, for re- 
proof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 
that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly fur- 
nished unto all good works." No one can be more than 
"thoroughly furnished," and "the man of God" does 
not desire to be furnished to d)iy but " good works." 
"All scripture given by inspiration of God is profita- 
ble." 

There is not one redundant word. Revelation has 
nothing to spare. It has just enough at every point, 
and on every subject, and not one word too much. On 
this basis the severest anathema is pronounced against 



30 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

those who would add to or take from it. Read this, 
Rev. xxii : 18, 19, thus : 

" If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him 
the plagues that are written in this book. And if any man shall take 
away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take 
away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and 
from the things written in this book." 

God has a hook, or something answering to a hook — 
" the hook of life," — in which the names of the right- 
eous are written. See Ex. xxxii : 33 ; Ps. Ixix : 28 ; Rev. 
iii : 5 ; xiii : 8 ; xx : 12, 13. And so sacred is this reve- 
lation that one whose name is written in God's "book 
of life," shall have that name blotted out, if he dares, 
impiously, to take from it ! One who would presume to 
add to it — as though it was not complete, shall have the 
plagues written therein added to him." Is not this a 
fearful warning to those who claim new revelations, and 
to those who make human creeds, governments, laws or 
ordinances for the church ! ? 

II. We may examine this revelation, and discover if it has 
any evil thing, or if it lacks any good thing. 

Whatever evils or failures there may have been in its 
officials and professed friends, the revelation or law 
of God, contains no evil, unjust, immoral or unwise 
thing. The claim is as safe on the other hand, that it 
lacks no good thing. Here the system stands in its 
own fullness, beauty and strength, absolutely defying all 
opposition ! 

If, then, this divine law claims perfection for itself, and 
when we come to examine it candidly we find the claim 
true, we can see no need, or room, or apology, for human 
legislation in the divine service, or for new revelations. 
We see, too, why they ceased. When the Infinite Jehovah 
completed a revelation, so that it can do all that can be 
accomplished by revelation, he gives no more. More 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 31 

would be a redundancy, supererogation, which infinite 
wisdom never does or requires us to do. Let us, there- 
fore, "be content with such things as we have," because 
(1) we need no more ; (2) we can get no more ; (3) and 
it is dangerous to tamper with God's sacred Revelation. 

IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING REVELATION. 

Though God's Bible contains " everything necessary 
to life and godliness," and is perfect in all its parts as a 
revelation, it is no revelation at all to those who do not 
understand it. A mystery is something not revealed, 
and though the mystery is taught in the Bible, it is no 
revelation to those who have it not. And to have it and 
not understand it are much the same. It can be a reve- 
lation only so far as it is understood. 

The importance of understanding revelation is, therefore, 
just equal to the importance of revelation itself. 

It would, perhaps, be difficult, to determine why those 
who love the Bible understand so little of it. Still the 
fact remains. God's perfect revelation is poorly under- 
stood, even in Bible countries. Even the divine condi- 
tions of remission are not generally understood. Church 
government is not generally understood. God's plan for 
doing missionary work is not understood. Some even 
contend that he has provided no organization or govern- 
ment for the church, and no way to do missionary work. 
Hence all the party strife about matters which it would 
seem revelation should settle — and, doubtless would settle, 
if it were understood '. 

We cannot say that man is incapable of understand-' 
ing a plain revelation, since he can understand his fellow 
man, nor can we say either that God could, and would 
not, or would and could not give a plain revelation of 
his will to man. If he is wise enough, good enough, 



32 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

and able to do this, then he has done it. If man can 
understand his fellow man, he can understand God. 
And still the fact remains that even those who really 
study the Bible are far from understanding a large part 
of it, and are honestly doubtful, very generally, whether 
they rightly comprehend its most vital parts. Some 
persons, with insufficient faith and great lack of candor, 
hesitate to admit these things, (though they cannot re- 
ally deny them) lest the admission aid infidelity. It is 
always safe to admit that which is manifestly true, 
whether we can account for it or not. 

The following investigation will presume to explain 
why the Bible is not more fully and correctly under- 
stood. It has not been read and studied sufficiently. It 
has been read without rules, without suitable heart prep- 
aration, without proper thought, and with minds already 
occupied by other and different matters, which the hold- 
ers were not ready to surrender. The correctness of 
these allegations will appear as the investigation pro- 
ceeds. 



CHAPTER III. 

How to Study the Bible. — The Bible is subject to rules, like other 
books — reasons for failures in studying it — Rules; love of truth, 
pure motives, and rightly dividing it, with exemplifications, dis- 
pensations, persons and things; moral, positive and ceremonial 
laws — other divisions and exemplifications. 

This precious Book is as subject to rules and principles, 
general and specific, as any other book. And these 
rules and principles must be observed while studying it, 
if we would understand and appreciate it. 

Persons who take up the book, open it at random, 
read a chapter, perhaps hastily, and with little thought ; 
and only after about a week or more do about the same 
thing, making a dozen or more hasty and careless read- 
ings in a year, will never understand, or rightly value 
the Bible. This course would never acquaint them with 
any science, or with any history. Even the recent and 
thrilling history of the United States could never be 
understood that way — nor with fourth of July speeches 
added, — and especially by an alien or an enemy. The 
king of Israel was to read the Law of Moses "all the 
days of his life," and to " meditate in the law of the 
Lord, day and night." 

The following rules are given, with brief exemplifica- 
tions here; other developments and applications may be 
found further on. 

RULES FOR BIBLE STUDY. 

Rule first. — Cherish the love of Truth. 
Paul, 2 Thess. ii : 10, says the enemy came — 
" And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that per- 
3 (33) 



34 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

ish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might 
be saved." 

The last clause "that they might be saved," implies 
the importance of " the love of truth," in order to be 
saved. It negatives the idea that an untruthful way of 
worshiping God will be a saving way. It accords with 
John iv : 23 — that " The true worshipers shall worship 
the Father in spirit and in truth ; " — that is, in the true 
spirit of worship, and according to truth. And it agrees 
with Paul, 2 Tim. ii : 5 : " And if a man also strive for 
mastery, yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully," 
— i. e. according to law, or as truth directs. It agrees also 
with the words of Jesus, John viii: 31, 32: "Then said 
Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye con- 
tinue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed ; and 
ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you 
free." Error has bound us in chains of sin and dark- 
ness. God has provided truth to break these chains 
and make us free ; and, so far as we know, he has pro- 
vided no other means to these ends. Hence, we must 
receive the truth, the love of truth, and abide in the 
truth, that it may make us free. Every man is in bond- 
age in proportion as he is in error. And every man is 
free in proportion as he is in the truth. All error would 
give us the days of hell on earth! All truth would 
give the days of heaven. How we should love the 
truth ! — even as we love the grand results to be accom- 
plished by the truth! — Pure truth, unmixed truth! 

Eule second. — We must act from proper motives when 
we search for truth. 

Jesus said to the selfish Jews, John vi : 26 : " Ye seek 
me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did 
eat of the loaves, and were filled." They were follow- 
ing him from wrong motives. These he sought to cor- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 35 

rect as a preparation for their learning the saving truth. 
They were like those of whom Jesus said, John v : 42 : 
"I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you." 

If a man destitute of the love of God and the love of 
truth, searches the Scriptures to pick flaws, find imaginary 
contradictions, etc., he will not probably learn the truth. 
Jesus will appear to him " as a root out of dry ground, 
having no form or comeliness, and when they shall see 
him, there is no beauty that we should desire him." 
Whereas, had their hearts been filled with the love of 
truth, they would have found Jesus " the fairest among 
ten thousand, and altogether lovely." 

The love of truth in the heart makes it the "good 
ground" — "the honest and good heart," — of the para- 
ble of the sower, Luke viii: 15; Matt, xiii: 23; Mark 
iv : 20. The same seed sown on the wayside, the stony 
and thorny ground, brought no fruit to perfection, 
though it had the same sunshine, showers and breezes. 
The cause of the failure was entirely in the condition of the 
ground — which means, the heart. 

We should, therefore, " examine ourselves," when we 
approach the Bible, whether we really love the truth, 
and are prompted by pure motives, as we examine our- 
selves preparatory to worship and the Lord's supper. 

Rule third.— "Rightly divide the word of Truth." 2 
Tim. ii: 15. 

This rule, like the others, is of absolute importance. 
To go alternately and indiscriminately to the Old and 
New Testaments for precepts, laws, ordinances, etc., as 
many do, is to confuse, discourage, and perhaps deceive 
ourselves. 

The frst division to be observed is, that between the 
Old and New Covenants. 



36 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

1. The law of Moses was given at Mt. Sinai, about 
2,500 years after creation, and 1,500 years before the 
birth of Christ. 

2. It was given to the Jews only — not a Gentile was 
present, and Moses tells them the covenant was not 
made with their fathers, the patriarchs. Deut. v: 3; 
Ex. xx. 

3. "It was added to [the patriarchal laws] because of 
transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the 
promise was made." Gal. iii : 19. 

Thus, it was given at a special time, to a special people, 
for a special reason, and for a limited time; — not at the 
first; not to all the people; not to last beyond the com- 
ing of the promised seed, which seed is Christ." Gal. 
iii : 16. All this is true of the ten commands and the 
whole law of Moses. God gave but one law by Moses, 
and this included the decalogue. The president is 
sworn into his office till March 4th, four years hence. Peo- 
ple are married "till death" — not longer. Till is a little 
word, but it "boasts of great power." This law was 
given till Christ should come — no longer. Hence, 

4. We read that the law (of Moses) was our school- 
master to bring us to Christ, * * * * "but after 
that faith (i. e. the gospel) is come, we are no longer 
under the school-master." Gal. iii : 24, 25. 

5. That Christ, " having abolished in his flesh the en- 
mity, even the law of commandments contained in or- 
dinances, * * * came and preached peace to you 
who were afar off, (the Gentiles,) and to them that were 
nigh," (the Jews, etc.) Eph. ii: 15-18. 

6. In 2 Cor. iii: 3-15, it is said that the law was 
"written in tables of stone," — "written and engraven in 
stones;" that it " was to be done away;" that it "is done 
away ;" and that it " is abolished." And we know that 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 37 

this refers to the ten commandments and the two tables 
of stone, because no other law was ever "written and 
engraven in stones." The writing of the law in the 
plaister on the undressed stones, (Dent, xxvii: 2, 3; Josh, 
viii: 32.) was not "written and engraven in stones. 
The writing was in the plaister, not in the stones. No 
law of God, save the decalogue, was ever "written and 
engraven in stones" 

7. Hence, while on the cross, Jesus said: "It is fin- 
ished." John xx : 30. And Paul, Col. ii: 14, says: 
"Blotting out the hand writing of ordinances that was 
against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of 
the way, nailing it to his cross." 

This certainly abolishes, and takes out of the way, 
the whole law of Moses, including the decalogue. But 
it does not so certainly abolish the law that "preceded 
Moses, the patriarchal law. Nor does it annul holy 
and just principles. Principles can never change or be 
abolished. Hence, from the death of Christ to the 
memorable Pentecost, fifty days, the world was not 
" without law to God." They were just as all were be- 
fore the giving of the law of Moses, and as all except 
the Jews were afterwards till the gospel came. 

The claim urged by Sabbatarians and Adventists, that 
it was only the glory of the law that was abolished, is 
too shallow to require notice. It was the law that was 
abolished, as these references clearly show. They pre- 
tend that there were two laws — one, the law of God, i. e. 
the ten commands ; the other, the law of Moses ; and that 
it was the law of Moses and not the law God that was 
abolished. But God was just as clearly the author of 
the latter as the former. Is it not continually said? 
"The Lord spake unto Moses, saying," etc. The only 
difference is, God first spoke the decalogue directly to 



38 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

the Jews, and afterwards, at their request, he spoke to 
them only through Moses and the other prophets. Ex. 
xx : 19-21; Deut. v. 27, 28; xviii. 16; Gal. iii : 19, 20; 
Heb. xii : 19. " The law," sometimes called the law of 
Moses, and sometimes the law of God, was one law, 
and included the decalogue and all the precepts and or- 
dinances following it. 

The world had out-grown the law of Moses, till Peter 
could say, (Acts xv. 10,) that "neither our fathers nor 
we were able to bear" its burdens; and Paul, (Gal. v. 1,) 
refers to Christians being made free from this yoke of 
bondage. 

Every where the Sinaiatic covenant is spoken of as 
one, not two covenants. And it is very clearly stated, 
not that the Patriarchal was abolished, but that this 
Mosaic law was added to it. Gal. iii. 19. " "Wherefore 
then serveth the law? It was added because of trans- 
gressions, till the seed should come to whom the prom- 
ise was made ; " " which seed is Christ." Gal. iii. 16. 

This Sinaiatic covenant is called " the Old Testament." 
2 Cor. iii : 14. In Hebrews viii : 7-13, we read, " In that 
he said a new covenant," (or Testament — for it is from 
the word rendered testament,) "he hath made the first 
old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old, is ready 
to vanish away." Reference is made here to Jeremiah 
xxxi: 31-34. This prophecy, given B. C. 606, com- 
pares the Sinaiatic, which he called the old covenant, 
with the gospel, which he called the new covenant — al- 
ways a unit. This prophecy of Jeremiah is, by Paul, 
quoted and applied to the new or gospel covenant. 
Hence we cannot be mistaken as to this. Observe then : 

a. The neio covenant is the gospel covenant. 

b. The old covenant is the Sinaiatic, not the Abraham- 
ic or patriarchal covenant. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 39 

c. It is this old, or Sinaiatic covenant that is abolish- 
ed; not the patriarchal or Abrahamic. 

d. The Sinaiatic covenant was an addition to an old 
law, which old law had been in force upon all nations 
and peoples for 2,500 years. 

e. The Sinaiatic covenant was given to only a part of 
the people, one nation, the Jews, and only for a limited 
time, till Christ should come. All the other nations 
were under the law of the fathers, which had been in 
use since creation, more or less. The Jews, also, were 
still under it, and were also under the added Sinaiatic 
law, till it was abolished. 

f. But the gospel covenant was not added to anything. 
It was to be a 

NEW COVENANT. 

It was to be not only new, but unlike the old one. 
Hence, when the Jews sought to bind the traditions of 
the fathers on the Savior, he gave them to understand, 
not only that he was " Lord of the Sabbath," but that 
" no man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old gar- 
ment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the 
garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put 
new wine into old bottles : else the bottles break, and the 
wine runneth out, and the bottles perish. But they put 
new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved." 
Matt, ix : 16, 17. We have, then, a new covenant — not 
an old one patched up. "We have a new bottle, or wine 
skin, and new wine in it. Nothing belongs to it simply 
because it is in any of the old laws. Let us note here: 

1. This new covenant claims for itself perfection, as we 
have seen. 

2. Hence, it must contain all the permanently good 
things that belonged to the Sinaiatic and patriarchal dis- 



40 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

pensations, and whatever else the Redeemer desired in 
it. 

3. We must find, therefore, in the gospel, every good 
principle, and every right thing whether formerly en- 
joined or not. 

4. And when we examine the gospel, we find every 
just principle, and every permanently good law the 
world ever had incorporated into and made a part of it. 
Just as, in making a new constitution for a state or gov- 
ernment, all the good and appropriate parts of the old 
are incorporated into the new, and made part of it, and 
nothing in the old is binding except what is so incorpo- 
rated and made a part of the new. 

5. We find, accordingly, that nine of the ten com- 
mands in the Sinaiatic covenant are in the new covenant, 
the fourth, i. e. the Sabbath law, only is left out. 

No man can imagine why the Sabbath was not put in 
the new covenant, unless it was, the King did not want 
it in. It will not do to say it was so well known and 
established that it was not necessary to put it in, or name 
it formally ; since the nine that are put into the new cove- 
nant were even better known than the law of the Sab- 
bath. And has it not been fully shown that nothing 
belongs to this new covenant that is not in it? The case 
stands this way : 

The new covenant is a perfect law ; no one is to add 
to or take from it ; and hence, whatever is not in it be- 
longs not to it, and has no authority under it. 

The fourth command in the decalogue (the Sabbath) 
is not in the new covenant. 

Therefore, the fourth command of the decalogue is 
no part of the law of Christ, and is not binding on any 
people. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 41 

MORAL, POSITIVE AND CEREMONIAL LAWS. 

Moral laws make nothing right. They are given to 
enforce duties already existing, as speaking the truth, 
and all acts of mercy, justice, etc. 

Positive laws are such as make things right that were 
not right before ; as the sacrifices under the law, rear- 
ing the brazen serpent, and whatever we cannot see a 
reason for without a command ; as the law for Christian 
baptism, etc. Some things may be partly moral and 
partly positive ; that is, we can see some reason for parts 
of them, and none for other parts, as in the Lord's 
supper. We can see propriety in memorial institutions, 
but not in the particular manner, or items in each. 

Ceremonial law T s are such as are not explained, and 
may be observed without faith, or piety, or religious 
profit ; they are outward and formal, not of the heart or 
spirit. They are mere bodily acts. 

The gospel has positive ordinances; as the Lord's 
supper and baptism. And it has every moral principle 
intensified that belonged to the old covenant, and 
many that are not in the old at all. But the gospel has 
no laws or ordinances that are merely or especially cere- 
monial. The Sabbath of the old covenant was largely, 
if not entirely ceremonial. There never was any ground 
for the claim that it was especially moral. Those who 
object to our calling it the Jewish Sabbath, or the Sabbath 
of the Jews, have not the least foundation for their ob- 
jection, seeing it was never enjoined on any people till 
at Mount Sinai, and then only on the Jews, and on 
them for only a limited time. 

And that the true condition may be more clearly and 
certainly understood, let it be remembered that, in what 
has been termed the interregnum; i. e. the time between 



42 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

the abrogation of the old covenant, and the beginning 
of the gospel reign, fifty days, the Jews were under the 
patriarchal laws and principles, as they and all the 
world were before the giving of the law ; and all the 
world, outside of the Jews were from the patriarch to 
the beginning of the gospel reign. And, as the gospel 
could not be preached to all the world in a day, all the 
world, Jews and Gentiles, continued under the same 
patriarchal laws and principles till the gospel did reach 
them. 

SOME CONCLUSIONS. 

I. If we desired to make Jews, we would preach Mo- 
ses and the Levitical law. The patriarchal law never 
made a modern Jew. And neither the patriarchal nor 
Jewish law — nor both of them together — ever made, or 
ever can make a Christian. 

II. If we would make Christians, we must preach 
Christ and the law of Christ. 

OTHER DIVISIONS. 

Besides noting the division between the Old and New 
Testament, there were three divisions or departments in 
the Old Testament, viz : 1. The law. 2. The Psalms. 
3. The prophets. And there are in the gospel, three 
departments, viz: 1. The gospels, Matthew, Mark, 
Luke and John. 2. Acts of Apostles, the only really 
historic book in the New Economy. 3. The epistles 
(22) addressed to Christians. 

If we would give or strengthen faith, we must go to 
the prophets and the first division of the New Testa- 
ment. " These are written that ye might believe." 

If we would learn what to do to become Christians, 
we must go to Acts. There we learn what and how the 
apostles preached, and what the people did to become 
Christians. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 43 

If we would learn how to live Christians we must go 
to the letters addressed to them. 

Then there were the old and young, the male and fe- 
male, the husband and wife, the parents and children, 
etc., and we need to rightly divide the word of truth to 
each. How very rich and important is this rule. 

If we find a man who has not heard and believed the 
gospel, desiring eternal life, as all men do, we will give 
him the gospel and the testimonies, and tell him to 
believe on Christ, as Paul told the jailer, Acts xvi : 31. 

If we find those who have heard, believed and been 
cut to the heart, we will, rightly dividing the word of 
truth, tell them to repent and be baptized, as Peter did, 
Actsii: 38. 

If we find one who has heard, believed, repented, and 
confessed Christ, we will tell him to " Arise and be bap- 
tized and wash away thy sins," as Ananias told Saul, 
Acts xxii: 16. We will not go back and tell him to do 
what he has already done. 

If we find one who has heard, believed, repented, con- 
fessed Christ and been baptized, and who still realizes 
that he is not in heaven, we will tell him to " hold fast 
his begun confidence to the end ; " to " give all dili- 
gence," and "work out his own salvation with fear and 
trembling." 

If we find an old disciple, trembling on the borders 
of death, we will tell him " a little longer ! " " Be thou 
faithful unto death." "!Now is our salvation nearer 
than when we believed." 

Yet, preachers quote and take to themselves: "Now, 
then, we are embassadors for Christ, as though God did 
beseech you by us : we pray you, in Christ's stead, be ye 
reconciled to God," 2 Cor. v : 20, which Paul rightly ap- 
plied to himself and his fellow apostles, who were the 



44 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

only embassadors the Savior had. He has none now. 

So, also, when they desire to prove a special and mys- 
terious call to preach, they quote : " And no man taketh 
this honor to himself hut he that is called of God, as 
was Aaron." Heb. v : 4. 

This was true of Jesus and the high priest — not at all of 
preachers now. I have asked many, and never yet found 
one of these preachers who was able to tell how Aaron 
was called ! They do not know that they are not 
Aarons ! They do not know what Aaron's call was, 
and it might not be uncharitable to conclude that they 
are about as far from knowing themselves. At least, 
they very much need to learn " rightly to divide the 
word of truth." 



CHAPTER IV. 

The Speaker and the Person Addressed. — Cause of the address, what 
was to be accomplished, the circumstances connected with 
it ; exemplifications — The three parables, Luke xv ; John iii, con- 
versation with Nicodemus — Applying the rules and explaining the 
passages — Collect all the testimony — The new birth by this rule — 
Some of the testimony — Conclusion. 

Rule fourth. — Observe who is the author of the passage 
under consideration. 

Failing to observe this rule, one preacher took his text 
in the language of the devil, in order to preach the gos- 
pel of Christ ! That might, in John Smith's style, be 
called a very devilish gospel. 

We shall be much better prepared to understand when 
we see whether it was Job, Abraham, Moses, David, 
Jesus, Paul, or Mcodemus. Before further application 
or elucidation of this rule, let us note four others. 

Rule fifth. — See who is addressed. 

Observing this would have saved the zealous saloon 
man from applying to his former customer what Paul 
said to Timothy. It would also save preachers from ap- 
plying to themselves what was applied to the Savior and 
the ancient high priests only. " Thou art the man," was 
well said to David once, but how absurd to apply it to 
every one now ! 

Rule sixth. — Find, if possible, what was intended to be 
accomplished by the passage under consideration. 

Most passages that require careful consideration have, 
as may be seen, a special object to accomplish. It may 
be to prevent an error, or to correct one already fallen 
into. It may be to remove a special difficulty, or to 

(45) 



46 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE BAY. 

prompt to particular duties. All of which will soon ap- 
pear more fully. 

Rule seventh. — Find, if you can, what gave rise to the 
lesson under consideration. 

This can generally be clone by observing the context 
and circumstances connected with it, and will go far to 
elucidate the end aimed at, and everything pertaining 
to it. 

Rule eighth. — Consider, carefully, all the surrounding 
circumstances. 

This rule includes the time , the place, the persons en- 
gaged and their special conditions and positions, and 
goes far to intensify and amplify the other rules, and the 
whole lesson ; all of which will be exemplified by the 
following cases : 

1. Luke 15 has three parables ; — the lost sheep, the 
lost piece of money, and the prodigal son. All these 
parables, and especially the last, have been sadly, and 
often ruinously perverted. These perversions and mis- 
applications need not be noted here. To understand this 
chapter, it is of the highest importance that we observe 
the rules here given, — and especially, what gave rise to it, 
and what teas intended to be accomplished by it. — See then 
verses 1, 2. All the Pharisees and publicans surround the 
Savior, and unite in what they regarded as a very grave 
charge against him, viz : " This man receiveth sinners, 
and eateth with them." This is the cause of the three 
parables. Jesus is the speaker. The Pharisees and 
scribes are the persons addressed. The end to be ac- 
complished is the answer and exposure of their com- 
plaint. The character and condition of the complainers 
should be observed. They are abundantly apparent, — 
They would not associate with sinners, — especially they 
would not eat with them; and they would judge, or 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 47 

measure Jesus by themselves. Hence, he does not tell 
them, as he did some others, that he had come " to seek 
and to save the lost." They were not prepared to ap- 
preciate this. It would have had no weight with them. 
He considered their peculiar condition, and defended 
himself by exposing their inconsistency. They knew 
what it was to be shepherds, and that when a sheep went 
astray, they would go in search of it " till they found it." 
They would not cease ; and when they found it, they re- 
joiced. Some of his complainers were, no doubt, women 
— at least, they all knew that when a woman lost a piece 
of money, she dropped everything, searched for it, and 
rejoiced when she found it. This struck them squarely 
in the face. Some of them were fathers, and all of them 
knew of prodigal sons ; how gladly the prodigal was re- 
ceived when he returned, and how they all scorned one, 
like the elder brother, who was not willing to receive 
him, and join in the rejoicing. How overwhelmingly 
they must have felt this ! Thus, Jesus would make them 
see and feel, that in complaining of him they were con- 
demning themselves — the fathers, the shepherds, the 
women, — and all who had lived before them ! 

All the parables of the Great Teacher are founded on 
matters of fact, and serve, in the same way, to illustrate 
important truths and principles, as will appear, when we 
reach the consideration of parables. 

2. As a further exemplification of these rules, see 
John ili — the conversation between our Savior and Nic- 
oclemus. Perhaps no passage has presented more diffi- 
culties, or offered grounds for more controversies. Now, 
by observing these rules, it will appear that, with only a 
few exceptions, no passage is more plain and clear. — Ob- 
serve : Jesus is the teacher, and Nicodemus is the in- 
quirer and learner. Think of the quiet night scene, and 



48 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

carefully consider, 1, the character and condition of Nic- 
odemus ; 2, what gave rise to this interview ; and 3, 
what was the Savior's object. 

There were two kinds of natural men. One was the 
man who would receive nothing he could not account 
for on natural principles. The other was the man who 
was under the dominion of his carnal nature. Nicode- 
mus was a natural man in both senses. This appears in 
the facts narrated. He shows himself to be a psukikos, 
an animal man, (in contrast with a pneumatikos, a spir- 
itual man, 1 Cor. ii: 18.) And it appears from his own 
lips that he would believe nothing he could not reconcile 
with natural law, and account for on natural principles. 
Hence (v. 4,) he said, " how can a man be born when he 
is old ? Can he enter his mother's womb a second time 
and be born ?" On common principles he could not be- 
lieve or understand this, and his carnal and unsubdued 
nature spurned the idea. He had no just conception of 
a spiritual birth, of a spiritual kingdom, or of the true 
and living God. 

To understand why John narrated this conversation, 
and the other writers did not, remember that John was 
writing mainly, or largely, for a people who had not a cor- 
rect conception of the character of the true God. They 
did not understand or believe that any God knew the secret 
inntents and purposes of the heart " — that " there is not 
a word in my tongue, but lo ! Thou knowest it alto- 
gether ;" and John desired to impress his readers with 
this trait in the divine character. Hence, looking to the 
closing part of the preceding chapter — which should^ 
never have been separated from this third chapter as it 
is, we read : 

" Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in 
the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 49 

the miracles which he dicL But Jesus did not commit 
himself to them, because he knew all men, and needed 
not that any should testify of man ; for he knew what 
was in man." 

" He knew all men ;" " knew what teas in man." Here 
is the affirmation, which John would impress. Nicode- 
mus was not a believer in such a God ; or, at least, he 
did not understand or believe this, and his was a typical 
case. If it were reached, others like it would be reached. 
Hence, we have the narrative. Leaving out the chapter 
mark, for the present, see Nicodemus in a night inter- 
view with the Savior; and hear him say — "We know 
you are a teacher sent from God ; for no man can do the 
miracles that thou cloest, except God be with him." 
This reads well, and would indicate to us that he was 
ready to be taught. But Jesus knew his heart ; knew 
that he was a natural man, and not ready to receive any- 
thing he could not account for on natural principles ; 
and to bring him out before his own eyes, Jesus said : 
" Except a man be born again, or from above, he cannot 
see the kingdom of God." This brought him out ; at 
once he replied — " How can these things be ? How can a 
man be born when he is old," etc. Then Jesus partially 
explained (v. 5,) by telling him he must be born of water 
and spirit. This was equal to saying, " It is not a natu- 
ral birth." It is "a birth of water and the spirit." 
Then he added : " That which is born of the flesh is flesh, 
and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Then he 
tells him he should not wonder at this, and farther, to 
aid him to understand the lesson to be taught — that God 
is Spirit ; that all these things are spiritual — not natural — 
that God does know all that is in man ; and to make Nic- 
odemus willing to yield his naturalism, and take revela- 
tion, he gives him a case in nature which, on natural prin- 
4 



50 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 



ciples, lie could no more understand than he could under- 
stand the new birth, though with revelation it was suffi- 
ciently plain— he gives him v. 8, which I will, for the 
present, paraphrase thus : 

" Kicodemus the spirit, breathes where he pleases, and 
you, Nicodemus, hear his voice, or the report of him, 
through the prophets ; but you, on your natural princi- 
ples, cannot tell whence it comes or whither it goes. So 
it is as to every one that is born of the Spirit, with you, 
Nicodemus, on your natural principles." 

That is, you must abandon your naturalism, and learn 
the true character of God and his worship. This had 
the desired effect, and Nicodemus was afterwards num- 
bered with the disciples. John vii : 50 ; xix : 39. 
Everything, to Kicodemus, depended on lifting him 
off of that hitch, and putting him on the correct road. 
"We have not many Nicodemuses among us now. The 
common mistake is, applying to people a passage pre- 
cisely suited to Nicodemus, but not suited to us, or the 
masses about us. True, we must all be born again ; and 
there are other particulars of likeness; but to apply this 
scripture to those who are not natural men, and not 
troubled with naturalism, is to mzs-apply it, and create 
confusion . £To man understands this chapter without ob- 
serving the character and condition of the party to whom 
it was applied at first, what gave rise to it, and what was 
intended to be accomplished by it. To apply it indis- 
criminately is ruinous. 

Though we are not Nicodemuses, we would like to 
understand this passage, at least so far as to get rid of 
the difficulties a misconstruction of it has encumbered 
us with. Hence, note : 

1 The Greek pneuma here rendered wind, in the com- 
mon version, is found 384 times, and is no where else 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 51 

rendered wind. It means spirit; and instead of there 
being something in this context to require a change, the 
context forbids renderng it wind, even if it were its 
ordinary meaning, by the fact that willpower, is attributed 
to it. " Breathes where it, or rather he, wills" ascribes 
to the thing here meant will-power, a quality that does 
not belong to wind. 

2. " So is every one born of the spirit " — with you, 
on your natural principles — not otherwise. So soon as 
you abandon your naturalism, and receive revelation, 
you can understand the new birth, where the spirit 
comes from, and where it goes to ; where the wind comes 
from, and where it goes to, etc. Only by revelation can 
you account for the spirit's voice, or breathing ; and only 
by revelation can you understand the new birth. 

" He bringeth the wind out of his treasure." Ps. 
cxxxv : 7. 

" Who hath gathered the wind in his fists." Prov. 
xxx : 4. 

" Whose spirit comes from thee." Job xxvi : 14. 

" If he gather to him his spirit," etc. Job xxxiv : 14. 

" The spirit of man that goeth upward." Ec. iii : 21. 

" The spirit shall return to God who gave it. Ec. xii : 7. 

So we can understand the new birth by gathering up 
the divine teachings, as will appear under another rule. 

Rule ninth. — Collect all the divine testimonies on the 
matter under consideration ; find just what each clearly 
means ; claim all that, and no more. 

A very little thought will enable any one to see that 
there is, in a perfect book like the Bible, no redundancy 
of evidence on any subject. So, when we have it all 
before us, we have none too much, in order to an intel- 
ligent and safe conclusion. E"or can we possibly do 
better than to get the true meaning of each testimony, 



52 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

claim all this, and no more. The rules here given will aid 
materially in this. Why should we leave out anything ? 
Why should we pervert any testimony, or seek to get 
more out of it than there is in it ? If, when we have 
taken this course, the subject is still nebulous, or not as 
plain as we would desire, we may safely conclude that 
it was not intended we should fully understand it ; and 
we must content ourselves with what we have, till the 
veil is rent again, or another revelation is given. We 
should not speculate, or draw conclusions not clearly 
warranted by the testimony. 

But let us be sure that we do get all the testimony in 
our reach, and that we understand the true import of 
each item. Failing here, and assuming a position, or 
coming to a conclusion from only a part of the testimony 
— and that, perhaps, not well understood, is the common 
and fruitful source of error and evil. No one has a right 
to an opinion, or judgment without the testimony, or be- 
yond the testimony, any more than against the testi- 
mony. 

A Presbyterian D.D., in Perryville, Ky., almost fifty 
years ago, took for his text John iii : 3. From that pas- 
sage — and without understanding it, — he evolved, or gave 
out his entire theory of the new birth. Now, an exami- 
nation of that verse will satisfy any candid inquirer that 
it proves only one -thing, viz. the importance of the new 
birth. It does prove this. "Except a man be born 
again he cannot see God." This is indisputable. But 
it says nothing at all about what the new birth is, or 
how it is brought about. For all information as to these 
we are entirely dependent on other testimonials. If they 
do not make these clear, then they cannot be clearly un- 
derstood. Let us see, in exemplification of our ninth 
rule. We may not exhaust the testimony, in this case, 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 53 

for lack of space, and, consequently, may not make the 
subject so clear,, but we will better understand the rule 
and the subject under consideration. 

Job v : 7. " A man is born to trouble." 

Job xiv : 1. " Man that is born of a woman," etc. 
Also, xv : 25, xiv : 4. 

Mat. xi: 11. "Among them born of women," etc. 

Ps. lxxxvii : 4. " This man was born there." 

Isa. ix : 6. " Unto us a child is born." 

Isa. lxvi : 8. " Shall a nation be born at once." 

John i : 13. " Who are born, not of blood, nor of the 
will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." 

John iii : 3. " Born again." 

John iii : 5. " Born of water and Spirit." 

John iii : 6. " Born of the flesh." 

John iii : 8. " So is every one that is born of the 
spirit." 

1 John iv : 7. " Every one that is born (begotten) of 
God overcometh the world." 

1 John v : 1. " Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the 
Christ is born (begotten) of God. 

1 John v : 4. " For whosoever is born (begotten) of 
God overcometh the world." 

1 John v : 18. " Whosoever is born (begotten) of God 
sinneth not; but he that is begotten (born) of Godkeep- 
eth himself," etc. 

1 Peter i : 23. " Being born again, not of corruptible 
seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God," etc. 

1 John iii : 9. " Whosoever is born (begotten) of God 
sinneth not." 

James i : 18. " Of his own will begat he us with the 
word of truth," etc. 

1 Cor. xv : 8. " Born out of due time." 

1 Pet. ii : 2. " As newborn babes, desire," etc. 



54 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

Job iii : 3. "Let the day perish wherein I was bora." 

Prov. xvii : 17 "A brother is born for adversity." 

Ecc. iii : 2. "A time to be bora." 

See begotten, in the common version, where we have 
the same word here rendered born (as in the places noted 
by parenthesis.) Ps. ii: 7; Acts xiii: 33; Heb. i: 5 ; v: 5. 
1 Peter i: 3 ; Job xxxvii: 28 ; 1 Cor. iv: 15 ; Phil. 10. 

SUM OF THE TESTIMONY. 

1. The importance of the new birth. 

2. We are born of women. 

3. The place of birth. 

4. Children are born to us. 

5. Nations may be born, — at least figuratively. 

6. We are born of the will of man, and of the flesh. 

7. We are to be born again, or a second time. 

8. We are born of water and the Spirit. 

9. We are bora, or begotten of God. 

10. Those born, or begotten of God do not sin ; i. e. — 
God does not beget, or prompt us to sin. Those who 
sin are begotten or prompted by another power. 

11. We are born or begotten by the word of truth, 
the seed of the kingdom. And if this seed shall remain 
in us, and continue to control us, we cannot sin : i. e.. 
it will not prompt us to sin. 

12. There is a due time for birth. 

13. When born again we are as new born babes. 

14. Being born again, we are to love as brethren. 

A birth is a bringing forth. But before this there is 
what is called begetting ; the birth includes the begetting, 
and follows it as a consequence, in the natural order. 
Begetting is enlivening, making alive, quickening. 
That which is not alive before birth will not be after- 
wards. Birth does not give life. It only enables us to 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 55 

enjoy life. In nature — after the flesh — substances are 
sometimes born dead. Why not in the spiritual world? 
— At least dead to spiritual devotion. Paul (Eph. ii : 2,) 
tells us of the " prince of the power of the air, the spirit 
that now worketh in the children of disobedience. To 
two great moving powers al 1 our acts are traceable. These 
are this evil spirit, ever working in the children of dis- 
obedience, and the Spirit of God, which works through 
the gospel. Two young men, near Stanford, Kentucky, 
wrongly taught, and begotten, or prompted by the evil 
spirit, went down into the water, and mutually baptized 
each other. Here was a birth of water — and of spirit, 
— the evil spirit! And those born were dead to spiritual- 
ity — dead in sin ; i. e. by, or on account of sin ; but nev- 
ertheless, born of water and of the evil spirit which 
prompted and caused the solemn mockery. Not long 
after this, in less than one year, a thousand persons, in 
the same community, and some of them in the same 
stream of water, were born of water and of God's Spirit. 
They heard the blessed gospel, believed and were quick- 
ened, or begotten and prompted by it — "the word of 
God, the seed of the kingdom." Hence it is said we are 
born, or begotten of or by the word. 1 Cor. iv : 15. 
Paul says: "For in Jesus Christ I have begotten (born) 
you through the gospel." "Born or begotten again by 
the word of God." 1 Peter i : 23. The part in the new 
birth which God's Spirit does is to beget persons through, 
or by the gospel. See hundreds *of people lining the 
water's edge; hear a song of earnest praise to God, a 
devout and fervent prayer, and some words of admoni- 
tion, teaching and exhortation; and then see persons 
walk solemnly down into the water, to a suitable depth, 
hear the calling of the sacred names of the Father, the 
Son and the Holy Spirit, and then see the body of the 



56 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

newly quickened soul buried beneath the yielding water, 
and raised up again ! And can any one say this is not 
a birth of water? Witness the unutterable joy — so far 
as mortal eye can see, or human intellect understand it ; 
can any one say it is not of or by the Divine Spirit ? 
Here, then, is the birth of the water and Spirit. Even 
a Nicodemus can understand it. 

Dr. Wall, himself a pedo-Baptist, and the author of 
the most elaborate and learned history of pedo-baptism 
ever written, says he examined all the writings of the 
fathers for the first four hundred years, and there is not 
any one of them that does not understand that John iii: 
5 — "born of water and Spirit" — refers to baptism, 
which he says was immersion. And he adds : " If it be 
not so understood, it would be difficult to tell how one 
can be born of water any more than born of wood." 

In collecting the testimonies on any given subject, we 
are not to confine ourselves to passages containing the 
principal word in the subject; as born, faith, repentance, 
election, the resurrection, etc. Many other testimonies 
bear on the subject and sometimes more forcibly. 

The effect of the new birth identifies it with baptism. 

The effect of the new birth is to bring persons into the 
Divine family, and give them equal rights and privileges 
with the other children; to make them " heirs of God, 
and joint heirs with Christ." Without it they cannot 
enter. 

The effect of baptism is to bring persons into Christ. 
" So many of you as have been baptized into Christ have 
put on Christ." Gal. iii : 27. 

Therefore the new birth — of water and Spirit — is 
equal to baptism, at least in its effects, or results. Things 
equal to each other are equal to the same. 

Unless there are two ways of getting into Christ, and 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 57 

so becoming heirs of God, they must be the same for oil 
practical purposes. 

But there is only one way of getting into Christ and 
becoming heirs of God. Does not Jesus say: "Except 
a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot en- 
ter into the kingdom of God?" John iii : 5. Man here 
is generic and includes all men. "He cannot enter" limits 
his entrance to this way, and is equal to saying there is 
no other way by which he can enter the kingdom of 
God. 

Yet we are baptized into Christ, the king. It would 
be absurd to talk of being in the king and not in the 
king-Jo???, which means the reign of Christ. It rather 
means into the very head and center of the kingdom. 

And therefore Christian immersion is the consumma- 
tion of the new birth. We must, however, keep always 
in mind the difference between being begotten, or quick- 
ened, by faith in the word of truth, and the new birth, 
or baptism. 

The promises to those born again and to those bap- 
tized are the same ; and in this way also, identify them. 

Is it not said " ye shall be heirs of God ; " " ye shall 
inherit all things ; " and " I will be your God and ye shall 
be my son ? " And do we not read in the great com- 
mission — "he that believeth and is baptized shall be 
saved ? " — " shall be saved " is equivalent to being heirs 
of God, etc. All God's children are saved ; all are 
heirs. 

And therefore the new birth, and baptism, as the con- 
summation of the birth of water and Spirit are the same. 
And so all the ancient fathers taught, without excep- 
tion. 

Jesus spoke to Nicodemus of the new birth in a para- 
ble. " Without a parable spake he not unto them.'' 



58 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

Mark iv : 34. But Jesus told his disciples that " the 
time would come when he would speak no more to them 
in parables, hut would show them plainly of the Father." 
See John xvi : 25. That time came, as the history of 
facts proves, when the apostles first began to preach the 
gospel of Christ. Otherwise, when the penitents, on the 
memorable Pentecost, asked what they should do, Peter 
should, and would have answered: "You must be born 
again — born of water and the Spirit." But because the 
time for the change in the Divine manner of teaching 
had come, and Peter knew very well that they would at 
once inquire what he meant by being born again, he 
just gave them the literal of the figure, saying, "Repent 
and be baptized," etc. So afterwards they never told 
people to be born again — never used the figurative style 
in such cases, but told the inquirers plainly — without a 
figure. 

And therefore, the new birth, and Christian baptism, 
as the literal of the figure, are the same. 

AVe shall have other exemplifications of this rule in 
the investigation of various subjects. It would be easy 
to show how readily we come to wrong conclusions, 
when we have only part of the testimony, while the 
whole testimony makes the case perfectly clear, and the 
conclusions safe beyond question. 



CHAPTER V. 

Doubtful Passages. — Tenth Rule — doubtful Scriptures and exempli- 
fications of Judging; — of women speaking or being silent in 
the church — Scriptural rights and duties of women, according to 
these rules; Paul justified, the Scriptures harmonized, and good 
order preserved. 

Texth Rule. — Doubtful passages, which are capable 
of more than one construction, must be so construed as 
to harmonize with those which are positive, and can 
have but one meaning. 

Exemplifications. 

1. Matt, vii: 1 says: "Judge not, that ye be not 
judged." 

Luke vi. 37 : ,' Judge not, and ye shall not be judged." 

Bom. ii. 1: " Therefore thou art inexcusable, man, 
whosoever thou art, that judgest, for wherein thou 
judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that 
judgest doestthe same things." 

Rom. xiv. 4: "Who art thou that judgest another 
man's servant ? To his own master he standeth or fall- 
eth," etc. 

These, and some other passages, are understood by 
many to forbid our judging others in any way. And 
they are often so quoted and applied. But we are, in 
other passages, required to judge, and are told how to do it. 

Luke vii. 43 : Jesus gave Simon a case to decide, and 
when the judgment was announced, he said, with evi- 
dent approval : " Thou hast rightly judged." 

John vii. 24 : " Judge not according to outward ap- 
pearance, but judge righteous judgment." 

(59) 



GO LIVE RELIGIO US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 

Isa. i. 17 : " Judge the fatherless." 

Matt. vii. 16-20: "Ye shall know them by their 
fruits." " Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." 

1 Cor. xiv. 29 : " Let the prophets speak two or three, 
and let the other judge." 

These clearly make it a duty to judge. Do these 
Scriptures contradict each other? So say the opposers 
of the Bible. How shall we reconcile them ? Can we 
understand them ? Let us see. 

The terms "judge" and "judgment" have several 
meanings, as most words have, and in the Scriptures par- 
ticularly, to judge is frequently to condemn. Hence the 
Savior said : " With what judgment ye judge, ye shall be 
judged." "The measure you mete shall be measured to 
you again." "Judge not that -you be not judged," is 
equal to saying condemn not — i. e., do not willingly, 
readily, or hastily condemn. This is the sense in which 
we shall not judge. And this does not in the least con- 
flict with the command to judge righteously. That we 
must judge is clear. It is even imperative. " The saints 
shall judge the world. And if the world shall be judged 
by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters ? 
* * * Is it so that there is not a wise man among 
you? No not one who shall be able to judge between 
his brethren ? " " Ye shall judge angels " (1 Cor. vi : 2- 
5). We must, therefore, so construe the doubtful pas- 
sages that they will harmonize with those positive ones, 
which can have but one meaning. Otherwise they will 
conflict. 

2. Woman's Work in the church.— Paul, in 1 Cor. xiv : 
34, 35, says: "Let your women keep silence in the 
churches, for it is not permitted unto them to speak, but 
they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith 
the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 61 

their husbands at home ; for it is a shame for women to 
speak in the church." 

And in 1 Tim. i i : 11-14, he says : " Let the women 
learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a 
woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, 
but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then 
Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman be- 
ing deceived was in the transgression." 

If we would understand these Scriptures we must ob- 
serve the undisputed fact that the Greeks and the Ko- 
mans, to that time, held woman in the most abject serv- 
itude, with only a few exceptions. Tbe Jewish system 
had somewhat redeemed her from this bondage, and it 
was clearly prophesied that, in the Christian dispensa- 
tion, she should be further redeemed and elevated. See 
Dr. A. Clarke's testimonies on these passages, and 1 Cor. 
xi : 1-5. Some of the women thus newly enfranchised 
made too much of their liberties in Christ, and Paul 
sets them down. Dr. A. Clarke says that, previously : 
" "Women were not permitted to teach in the assemblies, 
or even to ask questions," etc. It is evident from the 
context that the apostle refers here to asking questions, 
and what we call dictating, in the assemblies. It was 
permitted to any man to ask questions, to object, alter- 
cate, attempt to refute, etc., in the synagogue; but this 
liberty was not allowed to any woman." " It is evident 
that it was the disorderly and disobedient that the apos- 
tle had in view." " The Jews would not allow a woman 
to read in the synagogue, though a servant or a child 
had this permission." " The apostle refers to irregular 
conduct ; such conduct as proved that they were not un- 
der obedience." ""Whatever may be the meaning of 
praying and prophesying, in respect to man, they have 
precisely the same meaning in respect to woman. So 



62 LIVE RELIGIO US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 

that some women, at least, as well as some men, might 
speak to others to edification, and exhortation, and com- 
fort." See Joel ii : 28 ; Acts ii : 16. 

Instead of " silence " we may read " quiet," as in the R. 
Y. and others ; i. e., not boisterous, disorderly, or dictato- 
rial. And if we supply the ellipsis and read, " not per- 
mitted unto them to speak " in a disorderly manner, as 
some were evidently doing, we get the true idea of Paul. 
And we may paraphrase 1 Tim. ii: 11 : " Let the women 
learn in quietness with all subjection. But I suffer not 
a woman to teach, or, in other words, to usurp authority 
over the man ; but to be quiet, not necessarily silent. 
That is, she must not so teach as to usurp authority over 
the man. It is a shame for her to speak in that style. 
[This is not a quotation. It is so paraphrasing the pas- 
sage as to more fully set forth Paul's idea according to 
all the facts in the case.] 

We know that, under the typical dispensation, woman 
prophesied, judged Israel, and led an army. See Judges 
4th and 5th chapters, Deborah's song of triumph after 
the battle. Also Huldah, 2 Kings xxii : 14 ; Miriam, Ex. 
xv : 20 ; Anna, Luke ii : 36 ; Philip's four virgin daugh- 
ters " which did prophesy." Acts xxi : 8, 9. See also 
Joel ii : 28 — " Your sons and your daughters shall proph- 
esy," which is quoted by Peter on Pentecost, Acts ii : 
17, 18, etc. In Acts xviii : 26, we read that Aquila and 
Priscilla " took unto them" the eloquent Apollos and 
" expounded unto him the way of the Lord more per- 
fectly." Here the wife has as much credit for teaching 
the teacher, Apollos, as the husband has. Paul, Ileb. 
x : 24, 25, admonishes all the Hebrew Christians to " pro- 
voke one another to love and to good works ;" to " ex- 
hort one another," etc. This admonition is as much and as 
clearly to the sisters as to the brethren. In Heb. iii : 13 



LIVE HELIGIO US ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 63 

we have the same command — not to any class, but to the 
whole mass. In Eph. v : 19, the saints, without distinc- 
tion, are taught to speak to each other in psalms, hymns, 
and spiritual songs, and so " make melody in their 
hearts." In Col. iii : 16 Paul says : " Teaching and ad- 
monishing one another in psalms and hymns and spirit- 
ual songs," etc. Here the sisters certainly were to take 
part — all to prophesy, all to exhort. How natural that 
we should think here of Paul's declaration that in Christ 
there is " neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, tmt 
all are one in Christ." 

These are positive and clear. The women were indis- 
criminately inspired, prophesied, exhorted, sang, and 
prayed as certainly as the men. 1 Cor. xi : 17 corrects 
the manner of the women's praying in the assembly. 
They did it with their heads uncovered. They were, 
sometimes, not careful to have either long hair or the 
long veil that Ruth carried home barley in, and that Re- 
becca put on when she was about to meet Isaac; and 
some persons complained of this as an innovation. Paul 
says, verse 5 : " Every woman that prayeth or prophesi- 
eth with her head uncovered dishonereth her head," i. e., 
her husband. Then, verse 13, says: "Judge in your- 
selves : is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncov- 
ered?" i. e., without a veil. Some persons now say it 
is uncomely for her to pray at all, covered or uncovered ; 
but this seems to have been settled then. No one ob- 
jected to her praying in the assembly of the saints. 
The only objection was to her doing so uncovered. Paul, 
like his Master, was accustomed to correct errors in his 
brethren, and had it been an error for women to pray in 
the assembly he would have said so, for the same reason 
that he corrects the only error complained of — her pray- 
ing uncovered. And verse 16 says : " If any man 



64 LIVE UELGIIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

seem to be cententious we have no such custom neither 
the churches of God." The idea seems to he : Let them 
pray anyhow, even with their heads uncovered; hut it 
is more respectful for them to wear a veil — at least long 
hair, and not expose themselves to the charge of trying 
to usurp the place of men, or of being bad women. But 
the right of women to pray in the assembly was not 
questioned. Nothing but the manner of doing so was 
questioned , and as this was not a material error, Paul 
would not very earnestly urge its correction. Had it 
been wrong for women to pray in the assembly, Paul 
would have settled the case by saying so ; as he does con- 
cerning their manner of observing the Lord's Supper, in 
the after part of this chapter, and as he does as to their 
manner of settling difficulties in the sixth chapter. 
" Now, therefore, there is utterly a fault among you," 
etc. But Paul does not say there is " utterly a fault " in 
that the women prayed even uncovered; nor does he 
once intimate that there was any wrong in their praying 
in the assembly ! In fact, no one had so claimed or 
charged to that time. 

In Titus ii : 3 Paul says the aged women should be 
" good teachers," not simply " teachers of good things," 
as the common version has it, but u good teachers," or 
instructors — that they may " teach the young women to 
be husband-lovers, children-lovers," etc. And this is 
not necessarily confined to private teaching, as some sup- 
pose. The ancient manner was much like our best Bi- 
ble-classes or Bible-readings in the church, where all 
take part. And for young women, especially, they are 
the very best teachers. They are, indeed, now the best 
scientific and literary teachers often. What an outrage, 
then, to say they shall not be permitted to do that which 
Providence has so bountifully qualified them to do ! 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 65 

What a robbery of the church to say they shall not 
teach ! etc. What a wrong to them, when their hearts 
are overflowing with a desire to do good ! And what 
an opportunity it gives to the enemy to say they shall 
not use the capacity God has given them ! How incon- 
sistent it would be ! 

Let us sum up the leading things that women have 
certainly done with the Divine approval : 

1. Under the typical dispensation, if not as a rule, 
still they judged Israel, led an army, and prophesied. 
And it may be stated here that prophesying always in- 
volves the idea of teaching. Miraculous prophesying 
teaches as to the future. This is its peculiarity. But 
all prophesying was teaching — of the past, the present, 
or the future. 

2. The old prophet said God would cause his "hand- 
maids," as well as his " men-servants," to prophesy un- 
der the Christian dispensation. 

3. We see this prophecy fulfilled in the case of the 
four virgin daughters of Philip. And there is no clear 
evidence that they were miraculously qualified. To say 
they were is a bare assumption. There is nothing said 
as to this. But they did prophesy — which means teach- 
ing. Xor is there a word said of their teaching private- 
ly or at home. 

4. It is not possible for us to mistake as to their sing- 
ing, and so teaching — and that publicly, — or as to their 
exhorting, and praying. There is just as much evidence 
that the women did these things as there is that the men 
did them — in the assembly and in private. For all were 
commanded to do them, not any special class. 

5. Ten thousand facts demonstrate that they are often 
as capable of doing these things as are the men. Hence 
the robbery of them and the church to say they shall 



66 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. . 

not, and the advantage given to the enemy to complain 
of the inconsistency of the Scriptures. If this were the 
teaching of the New Testament no man could defend it 
against the charge of infidels that it is inconsistent and 
unjust to woman! 

The difficulty is in the wrong construction of the 
Scriptures first quoted from Paul to the Corinthians and 
to Timothy at Ephesus. One thing is certain, viz., if 
Paul meant to deny the women these rights, he con- 
tradicted himself and other teachers, hoth in the Old and 
New Testaments. For these teachings will bear no other 
construction. Here, then, we need our rule. Either 
these two Scriptures contradict all the rest, or we must 
construe them so as to harmonize with the rest. If we 
cannot harmonize them, then the contradiction remains. 
Let us see. 

Observing the other rules given, let us remember that 
there was great disorder both at Corinth and at Ephesus 
at that time. Many were speaking at once ; getting up 
and interrupting the speaker, no doubt rudely. And es- 
pecially would women interrupt their husbands, taking 
greater liberty with them. And Paul would correct all 
disorder. Hence, with these facts before him, he said : 
" I suffer not a woman to teach, or usurp authority over 
the man," [the Greek is or or nor.] The thing Paul 
would not suffer was her " usurping authority over the 
man." This is all. And he gives the reasons. . Adam 
was first formed, and the woman was first in the trans- 
gression. The first time she usurped the ruling power 
she erred, bringing sin into the world with all our woes. 
Hence she ought to be modest as to this. If she would 
learn anything " let her ask her husband at home." This 
shows that he had a special case before him. All did 
not have husbands. "It is a shame for women to speak 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE PAY. 67 

in the church, " i. e., as they were doing, not otherwise. 
It is always a shame to he in disorder, and for a woman 
to usurp authority over the man. This is all that Paul 
had before him, and all he forbids. In the same connec- 
tion, (1 Cor. xiv : 31,) he says: "Ye may all speak one 
at a time, that all may learn, and all may he edified." 
But you shall not speak disorderly. And in verse 26 he 
says: "What is it, then, brethren? When ye come to- 
gether, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, 
p. e., teaching,] hath an interpretation," etc. Note, the 
first is a question ; the second are facts — " every one of 
you hath," etc. Does not this include the women? And 
this was "when you come together" in the assembly. 
"Everyone" thought of it before, and went prepared 
with something to edify the meeting. These two verses, 
26 and 31, in the same passage, and just preceding the 
supposed inhibition to women, certainly show that 
"every one " was at liberty to take part in the meetings, 
and were expected to do so, if they would proceed " de- 
cently and in order." Surely Paul did not contradict 
himself right in the same passage! The woman shall 
not so teach as to " usurp authority over the man," and 
no one, man or woman, should so proceed as to be in 
disorder. There is no other prohibition here, and the 
latter is as applicable to the men as to the women. 

Paul nowhere makes another limit or prohibition for 
women as compared with men. The men have no more 
right to be disorderly than the women have. The sin- 
gle prohibition peculiar to women in these two passages 
is, that they shall "not usurp authority over the men." 
" It is a shame for them to speak" so as to do this. And 
this leaves them free to do all the things we have seen 
they did do. Therefore, there is no conflict. 

That women should not be rulers in the church ap- 



6S LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

pears in this inhibition. They are not to rule the men. 
And they are nowhere appointed to do so. Kot all men 
are rulers. Onlj T seniors, who have certain very marked 
qualifications, can he rulers. The preachers were not 
rulers as preachers, or because they were preachers. 
Being a preacher never gave any one ruling authority. 
As a class they, like the women, have shown great inca- 
pacity for ruling, though they do claim much, and may 
sometimes lord it over God's heritage. 

There is, in the two passages under consideration, 
nothing to hinder women from being preachers ! Look 
closely, and see. Yet we conclude, with great confi- 
dence, that they should not be preachers because they 
were not in the days of the apostles. This is a sufficient 
prohibition. Hence, while a woman may perhaps make 
a talk on special occasions, may be a missionary aid, may 
teach in any orderly and becoming way, etc., she cannot 
be what we usually call a preacher or an evangelist, pas- 
tor or ruler in the church, so long as we follow the apos- 
tolic and ancient examples, as we are commanded to do. 
They were not pastors, or preachers, or rulers then, and 
therefore cannot be now. Phcebe was a servant of the 
church in Cenchrea, Rom. xvi : 1. The word here ren- 
dered servant is diakonon, the word for deacon; and some 
think she was a church officer, an official deacon. But 
this word is often used with no reference to office ; and 
hence it is not at all certain that she was any more a 
servant than other faithful sisters. . Paul was a servant, 
or deacon, of all the churches ; and yet he never held the 
office of deacon or bishop in any church or congregation. 
There would be no inconsistency, however, in a woman 
being an official deacon, or servant. For deacons were 
not rulers. They neither usurped nor exercised author- 
ity over any one. They served. 






LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 69 

This investigation covers all the ground in these pas- 
sages, 1 Cor. xiv : 34, 35; 1 Tim. ii: 11-14; 1 Cor. xi: 
1—3, which are the only ones construed to forbid wo- 
men's praying, singing, teaching, (in some way) exhorting, 
etc., in the assembly. They are to be in subjection. As 
a rule, man is head naturally, and must be so religiously. 
There is the most abundant room for the best activity 
of women without their "usurping authority over the 
men." Let us not put on her a restriction the divine 
law does not authorize. This leaves Paul in harmony 
with himself, and with all the divine record; relieves us 
of all difficulty, and encourages women as the true and 
divinely appointed helpers of men. They are better 
singers, better teachers often, warmer in their devotions, 
more heroic in suffering, more "patient in tribulation," 
and on the whole, do more very generally, for the church. 
They are more persevering and more prompt : "Last at 
the cross and first at the sepulcher." They have angelic 
capacities, and are the best representatives of true Chris- 
tianity. And to restrict them beyond what Paul put on 
them is an outrage and a shame ! A cruel wrong to 
them, and a ruinous robbery of the church. Still, they 
are not to be rulers of men, in the family or in the 
church, and they are not to be preachers; but any thing 
else. Call on them, and they will show the wisdom of 
God in their rich endowments for usefulness, for being 
happy and making others happy. v "Let all things be 
done decently and in order," and to edifying. Let us 
all "strive together;" be "workers together," "bearing 
one anothers' burdens." The women will often bear as 
many and as grievous burdens as the men. 

To make preachers of them is a wrong almost equal to 
refusing them the right to do what they certainly did in 
the first churches. Let each one stand in his lot, do his 



70 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

and her part, and not the work of others. Then will 
the church "make increase of the body to the edifying 
of itself in love." Souls will be saved and God will be 
honored. 



One of our strongest men, and one of my best special 
friends, after examining this, suggests my revising it, 
and adds: "I would not say that women may teach in 
the church." This reaches a tender place. I would 
really like to gratify this brother, and all who, with him, 
take Paul's prohibition to be entire, and do not, as I 
think, consider the circumstances and the special object 
before Paul, and who, without designing it, put Paul in 
conflict with himself. Has it not been fully shown that 
Paul recognized the right of the sisters to pray in the 
assembly, having their heads covered? Has it not been 
shown that Paul would have the sisters to sing, exhort 
and teach (prophesying and singing) in the church, of 
course in an orderly and becoming way? Did not Paul 
say you (Corinthians) may all prophesy, one at a time, 
and that every one had a teaching, etc.? 1 Cor. xiv: 
26-31. Now, if I construe Paul, in another place, to 
mean that they shall not speak at all, am I not putting 
him in conflict with himself? — and needlessly; for I can 
construe him so as to be consistent. 

I would be glad to agree, also, with those who would 
have a woman for president, preacher and pastor. But 
it is impossible to agree with both classes. In fact, I 
cannot agree with either without cfrsagreeing with Paul, 
and bringing him in conflict with himself. Has it not 
been fully shown that women are not to be rulers in the 
family or in the church? Now, if I allow that she 
may, by Paul's authority, preach and rule over men, and 
over the whole church, as scriptural pastors do, am 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 71 

I not misconstruing Paul as to bring him in deadly con- 
flict with himself? 

Hence, I am constrained to fall back on my original 
purpose, to agree only with harmonious scriptures, if I 
must disagree with myself and all around me. 

No man should hold a theory which he cannot recon- 
cile to all parts of the Bible ; a theory with which any 
part of the New Testament conflicts. And the doubt- 
ful passages must be so construed as to harmonize with 
the positive, which can have but one meaning. Other- 
wise we would have numerous irreconcilable conflicts. 
Let the Bible stand if all men's views and preferences 
fail. 



CHAPTER VI. 

Meaning of Words, Sentences and Paragraphs. — Analysis of words, 
sentences and paragraphs — exemplifications; sermons on the 
wrong pronunciation and meaning of words ; Titus iii : 5 ; Rom. 
viii : 9 ; religion ; convert and conversion — the four items in conver- 
sion ; meaning of life and death — the prodigal son dead and alive 
— Christians both dead and alive— present life and death ; eternal 
life and death ; sanctification — its meaning in the Bible exempli- 
fied by many cases. 

Eleventh rule. — Consider the meaning of each word, 
sentence and paragraph. 

EXEMPLIFICATIONS. 

This is so manifestly important that it should not need 
exemplification. For, if we do not understand the sev- 
eral parts, how can we understand the whole ? Many 
instances might be given where men have given ludi- 
crous expositions of themselves by misunderstanding 
certain words in their " texts" As when " the text " 
was, " Thou art an austere man," and the preacher tak- 
ing that to mean an oyster man, said : 1. Jesus is an oys- 
ter man. 2. The church is an oyster boat. 3. The gos- 
pel is the oyster tongs. 4. The preachers are oyster 
catchers. He was then ready, as the sable divine ex- 
pressed it, to "put on the rowzens " for catching "oyster 
sinners ! " 

Here we need all the books and rules by which we 
understand the words, sentences etc., of other books. 
When we have made the proper analysis, we will be 
prepared to make the right synthesis. 

Following this rule, will enable us, at once, to under- 
stand Matt, xix: 28; Titus iii: 5; Rom. viii: 28-30, and 
(72) 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 73 

other passages which, otherwise, will remain dark, if not 
to us inconsistent. Acts xiii: 48, " ordained to eternal 
life," fifty years ago, was, among the Calvinists, read as if 
it was /ore-ordained, and was construed to favor what 
they called fore-ordination. It simply means prepared, 
arranged, made ready. And so, elect was construed to 
mean about the same. It just means, to choose. "The 
foreknowledge of God," 1 Peter i: 2, was another proof 
of extreme Calvinism. It means only what God made 
known before it came to pass. God did not know one 
thing before he knew another, but he did make known 
many things before they occurred; many things he 
knows which he has not yet made known to man. 
More than one person has failed to understand the word 
syllogism. They sometimes imagine they see the silly of 
it, and no more. Sometimes in their silliness they do 
not see themselves. Many writers try to make syllo- 
gisms, and fail. Real syllogisms are not very plentiful. 
When I have called attention to the difference between 
strait and straight, between there and their, as "their 
angels are always beholding the face of my Father," 
Matt, xviii : 10, I have been told I should " preach the 
gospel, not teach spelling ! " Yet these complainers 
were the very persons needing the lessons, and till they 
learned them they could never understand many impor- 
tant passages of Scripture. The world is made of little 
things, and he who fails to master these particles can 
never comprehend or appreciate the whole. 

Let us consider religion, conversion, life, death, im- 
mortality and sanctification, defined somewhat incorrect- 
ly in our dictionaries, because they give the sense in 
which words are now used by the people for whom the 
dictionaries are made ; as in the case of baptize, bap- 
tism, etc. "Without the proper understanding of words, 



74 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

as they are used in the Scriptures, we are bewildered 
and discouraged at every step. 

1. Religion. — People now speak of "getting religion," 
"seeking religion," etc., under the impression that it 
means pardon of sins and salvation. Frequently they 
speak of "getting more religion;" as though it was a 
tangible quantity, which might be possessed in larger or 
smaller proportions. Who has not heard it said of cer- 
tain persons, that they "have very little religion," or 
"have not much religion," etc. Religion is generally 
derived from the Latin riligio, and means, to bind a new, 
— re and ligo, to bind. Etymologically, it means to 
rebind, or bind back. In this sense there can be no 
religion in heaven among the angels who never sinned ; 
nor was there religion in the garden of Eden before the 
fall ; since that which was never loosed cannot be rebound, 
just as that which was never lost cannot be found, and 
he who is not sick, and never was, cannot be cured. It 
" seems originally to have signified an oath or vow to 
the gods." It consits " in the performance of all known 
duties to God and our fellowmen." In its appropriated 
sense, it means, " any system of faith and worship." In 
this sense, religion comprehends the belief and worship 
of pagans and Mohammedans. " Thus we speak of the 
religion of the Turks, of the Hindoos, of the Indians," 
etc. Hence, we have a popular book, styled "All Reli- 
gions." And it is said that in China there are more re- 
ligions than people ; since each one has a variety of gods, 
and the manner, or system by which each god is wor- 
shiped, is the religion of that god. In this sense there 
is religion in heaven, and there was religion in the gar- 
den of Eden before the fall. This is the sense in which 
the term is used in the Scriptures. It is a system of 
worship. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 75 

The Greek for religion is threeskia, and is denned : 
" Religious worship, service, observance of usage, reli- 
gion." It is found in Acts xxvi : 5, " the straitest sect 
of our religion;" Col. ii: 18, "and worshiping of an- 
gels;" James i: 26, "vain religion;" James i: 27, "pure 
and undefiled religion." And religious — threskos — found 
James i: 26, "seems to be religious;" Acts xiii: 43, 
"many of the Jews and religious proselytes." The 
word rendered " Jews' religion," Gal. i: 13, is Joudais- 
mo, and is now rendered Judaism, i. e., the Jewish sys- 
tem of worship. 

Here we are observing our ninth rule — collecting the 
divine testimonies on the subject under consideration. 

TV~e see, then, most clearly, what a wonderful mistake 
is made by many religionists, on account of misunder- 
standing the plain meaning of the word religion. Those 
who understand its meaning will never speak of getting 
or seeking religion, of having little or much religion, 
etc. And they will be free from other embarrassing and 
discouraging difficulties in their scriptural investiga- 
tions. 

Convert and Conversion are now used largely as equiv- 
alent to "getting religion," "getting more religion," 
"getting saved," etc., and are supposed to be the work of 
an immediate power sent directly down from heaven, of- 
ten called " converting power." Hence we find people 
praying for this power to be sent down while persons 
"kneel at the altar," or "mourners' bench." They 
kneel, and pray, and agonize, and the preachers with 
them, to induce the Lord to send this converting power. 
Sometimes we have heard the call almost in the perem- 
tory, or commanding style, thus: "Lord, we have done 
all we can, and here are these anxious, penitent souls 
waiting and praying, Come down now, light now, Lord 



76 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

and convert them." One man actually prayed that the 
Lord would " send converting power right down through 
the shingles," adding, " and I will pay the hill ! " He 
was deeply anxious. But the Lord did not disturb the 
shingles, or send the power otherwise, and they had to 
close without the conversions ! How sad and discouraging 
this was ! And how different from apostolic teaching ! 
Yet this seems to have been the idea of the translators 
in 1611, when they rendered Acts iii: 19, "Repent and 
he converted, that your sins may be blotted out," etc. 
That is, repent, and pray, and God will, or perhaps he 
will, send converting power. But this scripture proof 
of that theory is entirely exploded by the modern, and 
certainly correct rendering, which makes the converting 
active, not passive; thus: "Repent and turn." This 
makes it the work of the sinner to convert, or turn, and 
leaves no ground for waiting for power to be sent down. 
This is not only the meaning of the word here used, but 
it is the common style. Matt, v : 39, " Turn the other 
also." 2 Tim. iii: 5, "From such turn away." Many 
references might be given. The gospel is God's convert- 
ing power, and has been here since the "beginning." 
How strange to pray for another converting power, as 
though this was not sufficient. David says : (Psl. xix : 
7,) "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the 
soul." Do we really believe this ? Convert, (from Con 
and vertere, to turn, Lett.,) means to turn, to "change or 
turn from one religion to another, or from one party or 
sect to another, or from a bad life to a good one." Sam 
Jones, in his peculiar and very uncommendable style, was 
right when he said to hypocrites : " Quit your meanness 
and do right. That is conversion." Paul's commission, 
Acts xxvi: 18, was "to open their eyes, and turn them 
from darkness to light;" that is by preaching the gos- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 77 

pel entrusted to him, lie would enlighten their minds, 
and so turn, or convert them, or cause them to turn, 
etc., for the act of turning was theirs, not his. In con- 
version, no powers are hlotted out, and none are impart- 
ed. The powers and faculties hitherto devoted to sin, 
are purified, turned to God, and consecrated to his ser- 
vice, in purity, according to truth, and with zeal and 
earnestness, constantly and forever. 

Thus, we see, that the plain meaning of convert, con- 
version, etc., relieves us of all the difficulties thrown 
around the subject, and enables us to read and understand 
free from embarrassment. ]STor is there any other way 
to get out of this mist and fog of superstition. Learn 
the meaning of language. 

There are, in conversion, four important items. Let 
us note them here : 

1. The converting power, or instrument — the gospel, 
which was committed "to earthen vessels," .and does not 
need to be sent down from heaven now. It does need 
to be sent to " all the world." It " works effectually in 
them that believe," and in giving faith to candid hearers. 
It needs no aid, and has no substitute. 

2. The act of conversion — the voluntary turning of 
the soul to God. Voluntary, because he will not com- 
pel any one to turn. 

3. The person or system to which we are converted — 
whether to Moses, Mohammed, the pope, the preacher, 
to a religious sect, or to Christ and his inimitable scheme 
of redemption. This conversion has salvation in it. 
The others have not. 

4. The importance of being wholly converted. For 
one may be turned half way round, more or less, like 
the hands of a clock, and yet not set right. One may 
have his feelings converted, and not his head or his life 



78 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

and state. He may have his head converted, and not 
his heart, or affections, state and life. The gospel pro- 
poses to convert sinners, or cause them to convert or 
turn, wholly to God, yielding up their bodies, souls and 
spirits ; changing their state and their lives, and making 
them truly " new creatures in Christ." Nothing short 
of this is gospel or saving conversion ! Alas ! how 
many church members are not even half converted, as 
shown by their lives ! And alas ! that many who seem 
to be wholly converted do not stay converted. Some 
are converted to the big meetings but not the little 
ones — not to Christ ! 

LIFE AND DEATH. 

These are correlates and are understood better in con- 
trast. They should, therefore, be treated together. 

It is easy to see that our dictionaries are at a great 
loss in defining life and death. Webster says life is, " That 
state of an animal or plant in which its organs are capa- 
ble of performing their functions." And of death, he 
says : " That state of a being, animal or vegetable, but 
more particularly of an animal, in which there is total 
and permanent cession of all the vital functions." To- 
tal privation or loss ; extinction ; as the death of mem- 
ory. Blackstone defines civil death to be "the separa- 
tion of a man from civil society, or from the enjoyment 
of civil rights, as by banishment." 

But the Bible only can explain life and death. No 
man can account for life, any life, but by the Bible. 
No man can at all understand life or death but by the 
Bible. 

When God said to Adam, " In the day that thou eat- 
est thereof thou shalt surely die," what did he mean ? 
Let the events show. In the evening of that day he 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 79 

went out from the garden of Eden, lie was separated 
from it. He lived 930 years. That death, then, did not 
mean ceasing to exist; nor did it mean inability. He 
made his "bread in the sweat of his face, after this," 
tilling the ground. 

^Vhen the prodigal son returned, the father said: 
(Luke xv : 24.) "This my son was dead and is alive 
again ; he was lost, and is found." Dead and alive, and 
lost and found, express the same idea. The prodigal 
had been separated from his father; but he had not 
ceased to exist, nor was he totally disabled. 

Some 700 years B. C. God sent Isaiah to say to the 
Jews : " Your iniquities have separated between you and 
your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, 
that he will not hear." Isa. lix : 2. They were as dead 
to God then, as Adam was when he was separated from 
God morally, by his guilt, and physically, by being 
driven out of the garden. They were as dead to God 
as the prodigal was to his father — for the same reason, 
and in the same sense. Still they existed and had much 
ability. 

Paul said of certain widows: "But she that liveth in 
pleasure is dead while she liveth." 1 Tim. v : 6. Here 
the widow had not ceased to exist, nor was she disabled 
as to a life of pleasure. But she was dead. She was 
not in union with God. Her "iniquities had hid his 
face from her." Her sins were as a separating Avail be- 
tween her and God. 

So Paul says, Eph. ii: 1, "And you hath he quicken- 
ed who were dead in tresspasses and in sins." This is 
rendered in or by tresspasses and sins. Both are true, 
in fact, and to the original. These Christians had been 
dead, then, and were dead till they heard the gospel. 
Yet they certainly had not ceased to be, nor were they 



80 . LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

without ability. They heard the gospel, understood it, 
and turned to God. Even while dead in and by sin, 
they were able to serve the most terrible task-master — 
the devil ! And no doubt they pleased him well. 

Bom. vi: 11, reads: "Likewise reckon ye also your- 
selves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God 
through Jesus Christ our Lord." These Christians were, 
then, dead and alive at the same time: dead to sin, and 
alive to God; separated from sin, and united with God 
and the holy hosts about him ! 

In Col. iii : 3, Paul explains this, thus : "Ye are dead, 
and your life is hid with Christ in God." You are dead 
to sin, i. e., separated from it, and "your life is hid with 
Christ in God." Mortal eye does not see your union 
with God, which is life ; hidden and preserved life. 

In the final judgment, it is said, (Kev. xx : 14.) "And 
death and hell (hades) were cast into the lake of fire. 
This is the second death." It is, and will be a final sep- 
aration of the wicked from God. " This is the second 
death," implies a state, or condition of being, away 
from God, like Adam, like the prodigal son, and like all 
Christians before their conversion ; worse, but the same 
as the separation from God. And Eev. xxi : 8, says of 
all the wicked, they " shall have their part in the lake 
which burnetii with fire and brimstone ; which is the 
second death." The second death is, then, a state of 
being separated from God, "where their worm dieth not, 
and their fire is not quenched." They will never cease to 
exist, and will never be unable to suffer. What a won- 
derful and palpable mistake to conclude that death, first, 
last or middle, ever meant ceasing to exist or disability! 
While we read the Bible with an idea so erroneous as to 
the meaning of death, we can never understand it. 
And this prepares us for considering — 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 81 

LIFE, PRESENT AND ETERNAL. 

When God had made Adam, and he was Adam, still 
he had no life till " God breathed into his nostrils the 
breath of life, and man became a living soul." Life 
came from God, and from God alone can life come. It 
is divine and sacred. If man could create matter and 
organize it, (which he cnnnot do) still no man or set of 
men can give life to a monad, a triad, or any combina- 
tion of matter. It comes from God. This is a fact 
which cannot be too strongly emphasized. When the 
life which God gave Adam left him, or was separated 
from his body, his body was dead, dead like it was be- 
fore God gave him life, dead as our friends are when we 
bury them. Human life, then, is the union and fellow- 
ship of the body and spirit. This is the most tangible 
illustration of life, and we should consider it well. We 
may not understand how this union is effected or main- 
tained, but we see the teachings and we see the fruits 
of the union or indwelling, dwelling together of our 
bodies and our spirits. Call this natural life, animal 
life, or temporal life, and still it is life. Beasts have 
souls or lives, but not such as God gave man — not 
spirits. The present inquiry is more particularly for 
spiritual life, and life eternal. This term is found in 
the Bible over four hundred times. Of course it would 
be too much to copy all these here ; but a few sample 
cases will give the correct idea: 

1. Matt, vii : 14 : " Narrow is the way that leadeth 
unto life." Why, one may be ready to say, Ave are 
living now. And the Universalist is precisely ready to 
say, we are all on the way to eternal life and cannot miss 
it. But the meaning of this language is that life was 
something his disciples here addressed did not then have, 
and something that even they might fail to secure. 
6 



82 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

2. Matt, xviii : 8, 9 : " It is better for thee to enter 
into life with one eye," etc. Why, shouts the Universal- 
ist, you need not be uneasy about this in the least; you 
cannot possibly miss it. And the thoughtless say, We 
are alive now. But this Scripture conveys a very dif- 
ferent idea to all the candid. 

3. Matt, xix : 17 : " If thou wilt enter into life, keep 
the commandments." Of this, and more than a hun- 
dred other passages, the same might be said that has 
been just said of Nos. 1 and 2. But here we have the 
idea of state or condition of being — not simply existence ; 
so also, 

4. Mark x : 17 : " What shall I do that I may inherit 
eternal life ? " Here is not only a state of being referred 
to, but one to be inherited, to be entered into or upon, 
and which depended on something he might do. This 
case is found also in Matt, xix : 16, 17. Had the Savior 
been a Calvinist he would, according to his manner, 
have said : " My dear man, you are much mistaken ; 
your eternal life does not depend on anything you can 
do. God fixed that before the foundation of the world, 
if you are one of the elect ; and if not, all you can do 
will not alter the case at all." Had he been a Univer- 
salist he would have eased all his fears by telling him 
that " all will have eternal life, do as they will." But he 
answered just as if (1) eternal life was a happy and glo- 
rious state of being ; (2) to be entered into or inherited ; 
(3) on condition that he obeyed God. These three ideas 
lie on the very surface of this answer. 

5. John i: 4: "In him was life;" 1 John v: 12: 
" He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not 
the Son of God hath not life ; " 1 John v : 11 : " God 
hath given to us eternal life," by promise, " and this life 
is in his Son." In Christ, then, is life, life present and life 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 83 

eternal ; and to enter into life is to enter into Christ, in 
whom the life dwells. And to he in Christ is to be in 
union and fellowship with him. This is that state of be- 
ing called life — to be in Christ and in union and fellow- 
ship with him. 

6. 1 John iii : 14 : " By this we know we have passed 
from death unto life, because we love the brethren." 
And we know we love the brethren when we love God 
and keep his commandments, and not otherwise. 1 John 
v : 2. We know we are in this state of life by keeping 
his commandments, and not by our feelings. 

7. John iv : 14 : "But the water I will give him shall 
be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting 
life." And this is explained in John vii : 38, 39 : " He 
that believeth on me, as the Scriptures hath said, out of 
his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this 
spake he of the Spirit which they that believe on him 
should receive : for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, 
because that Jesus was not yet glorified." Then, as the 
result of union with Christ, we have the Holy Spirit as a 
fountain of water in us springing up to eternal life. It 
" sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts," Eom. v : 
5. By it we are sealed to God. 2 Cor. i : 22 ; Eph. i : 
13; iv: 30. 

8. 1 John iii : 15 : "But no murderer hath eternal life 
abiding in him." Gal. v : 21 ; Rev. xxi : 8 Of course 
no one who hates his brother, and is a murderer, has 
eternal life " abiding in him." Biit this shows also that 
eternal life does abide in the new creatures in Christ as 
certainly as it does not abide in murderers. 

9. 1 Johnv: 13: "And these things have I written 
unto you * * * that ye may know that you have 
eternal life." How strange this, if they could know this 
by their feelings, sensations, or by special revelation ! 



84 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

This language clearly means that they were dependent 
on God's written revelation for a knowledge of their 
condition, or whether they had eternal life or not. They 
walked by faith, not by sight, or by animal feeling, or 
mental emotion, or by any special excitement or direct 
personal revelation. 

10. John vi : 47 : " He that believeth * * * hath 
everlasting life." He is noio in Christ, in union and fel- 
lowship with him, and the well of water is now spring- 
ing up in him. This is life, the life of God in the soul. 
And he has the promise of the future life also. It is of- 
fered as a final and all glorious reward to the faithful. 

11. Rom. ii : 7 : " Unto those who seek for glory, 
honor, and immortality, — eternal life." That is, he 
promises to the faithful as the great reward — eternal 
life ! Just as he threatens the wicked with eternal death 
or banishment. Surely this cannot be simply eternal 
being, or-existence ! Satan will have that. All the 
wicked will have that. Life is more than being 
It is dwelling in God's " presence, where there is fullness 
and joy, and at his right hand, where there are pleas- 
ures forevermore." " To be or not to be " is not the great- 
est of all questions, then, if Cato did hold this idea. To 
be in God's presence and share in all the riches of his 
glory — this is eternal life ! this is heaven ! Glorious and 
blessed heaven ! — life forevermore ! It is in contrast 
with the second death. 

" There is a death whose pang 
Outlasts the fleeting breath ! 
what eternal horrors hang 
Around that awful death ! " 

And " there is a life above ! 
Unmeasured by the flight of years! 
And all that life is— Love ! " 
Here again we see how a right understanding of life 



LIVE RELIG10 US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 85 

and death clears away difficulties and enables us to un- 
derstand the Scriptures as we never could without this 
understanding, with all our research and study. Errors 
in definitions put a veil before us and enshroud us in 
mist and fog impenetrable. Correct definitions remove 
all these, and enable us to go forward, walking in the 
light, " in the blessed light of God," the blessed truth 
of Heaven. 

IMMORTALITY. 

Many critical investigators are troubled as to the 
teaching of the Bible on immortality. This trouble 
comes from the fact that we have two Greek words ren- 
dered immortality, only one of which means deathless- 
ness — Athanasia. 

1 Cor. xv : 53 : " This mortal must put on immortali- 
ty," or a body that cannot die — deathlessness. 

1 Cor. xv : 54 : " Shall have put on immortality," or 
deathlessness. 

1 Tim. vi : 16 : " Who only hath immortality " — death- 
lessness. 

Aphtharsia means incorruptible. It is found in 

Eom. ii : 7. " Seek for glory, honor, and immortality, 
or incorruptibility. 

1 Cor. xv : 42 : " It is raised in incorruption." After the 
resurrection the body can never be corrupted again. It 
will be incorruptible. 

1 Cor. xv : 50 : " Doth corruption inherit incorrup- 
tion ? " 

1 Cor. xv : 53 : " Must put on incorruption." 

1 Cor. xv : 54 : " Shall have put on incorruption." 
Eph. vi : 24 : Love our Lord Jesus Christ in sinceri- 
ty ; " i. e., without corruption. 

2 Tim. i : 10 " Brought life and immortality [incor- 
ruptibility] to light." 



86 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

Titus ii: 7: " Uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity," or 
un corruptness in teaching. 

Aphthartos — Rom. i : 23 : " The glory of the uncor- 
ruptible God." God is glorious because uncorruptible. 

1 Cor. ix : 25 : " But we [seek] an incorruptible crown." 

1 Cor. xv : 52: "The dead shall be raised incorrupti- 
ble." 

1 Tim. i: 17: "Unto the king eternal, immortal," 
or incorruptible. 

1 Peter i : 4 : " To an ^inheritance incorruptible ; ' 
the true riches. 

1 Peter i : 23 : " Incorruptible [seed] by the word of 
God." 

1 Peter iii : 4 : " That which is not corruptible ; a 
meek and quiet spirit. 

The idea is, God can neither be corrupted nor destroyed. 
Hence he only has immortality. But man can be cor- 
rupted and his body can be destroyed. He is mortal and 
corruptible. But, in the resurrection, God proposes to 
give him immortality. Then, like his Maker, he can die 
no more, and he can be corrupted no more. While in 
the flesh he is imperfect, not perfect, and liable to ruin- 
ous corruption. Hence, as in contrast with man in the 
flesh, Paul (Heb. xii : 23) refers to "the spirits of just 
men made perfect" in the spirit world. Corruptible 
here, incorruptible there. What a mistake to suppose 
man can be so perfect here that he cannot be corrupted 
or made to sin ! Jesus said to the young man (Matt, xix : 
17):" there is none good but one; that is God;" none 
absolutely good, free from sin, and incorruptible, but 
God. This divine attainment awaits man at the resur- 
rection. If, while here, he " seeks for glory, honor, and 
incorruptibility," he shall have eternal life." That is, he 
shall dwell with God, sin no more, and die no more. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 87 

How easy to learn when we proceed aright ! Thus we 
teach and learn the Bible while learning how to learn! 
Learning the meaning of language. 

SANCTIFICATION. 

This word is not properly understood, and therefore 
the subject which it designates is nebulous and unsatis- 
factory. Lange, in the S chaff -Herzog Encyclopedia, 
says : " Sanctiiication is treated of now as an act of God, 
or Christ, or the Holy Spirit, not as an act of man. God 
sanctifies, (John xvii : 17,) and man enters into the re- 
deeming, justifying, sanctifying economy of God, (Eph. 
i : 4 ; 1 Pet. i : 15.) * * * By the act of God's justi- 
fication the believer is made a creature of God ; in sanc- 
tification he carries on what God has begun, and realizes 
the Christ in his own life. Justification is the germ of 
our new life, a single act ; sanctiiication is a gradual pro- 
cess, the development of this new life." A large class of 
those called sanctificationists affirm that sanctification 
like justification, is an instantaneous act of God. They 
pray for God to come and sanctify them, and many pro- 
fess this immediate sanctification at the altar, or during 
their protracted meetings. 

Now it is worthy of observation that not one of the 
Scriptures referred to by Mr. Lange or others has the 
slightest reference to an immediate act of God to sanc- 
tify. The first reference (John xvii: 17) says: "Sancti- 
fy them [the disciples] through thy truth." The other 
references have neither the word nor the idea, as any 
one can see. And this is the very best that the strong- 
est writers can do for this instantaneous sanctification ! 
Cruden defines sanctification thus : 

1. "To separate and appoint anything to a holy and 
religious use. God sanctified the seventh day, Gen. ii : 3. 



88 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

The first -born were sanctified. Ex. xiii : 2. And thus the 
tabernacle, the temple, the priests, the altars, the sacri- 
fices, etc., were sanctified under the law. 2. To cleanse 
a sinner from the pollution and filth of sin, to free him 
from the power and dominion of sin n and indue him with 
a principle of holiness ; thus God by his Spirit sanctifies 
the elect, or true believers." 1 Cor. vi : 11 : "And such 
were some of you, but you are washed, but you are sanc- 
tified,"etc. 

The only passage that Cruden gives in proof of God's 
" induing him with a principle of holiness," 1 Cor. vi : 
11, just quoted — has for the word sanctified, heegiastheete, 
which simply means separated, and is rendered by this or 
an equivalent word by Conybeare and Hawson, Meyer, 
Doddridge, and others. It has in it nothing at all in ref- 
erence to " induing with a principle of holiness," or ' im- 
mediate sanctification " by a direct act of the Spirit. Of 
course these are the best proofs they could find, and as 
they have nothing at all in them on the subject, we must 
conclude that there is no evidence favoring such a sanc- 
tification. It is not in the meaning of the word, in the 
connection, or in any other passage of Scripture. If 
these writers could find no such testimony in the Script- 
ures it was because there was none such ! 

Let us examine a few typical testimonies in the Holy 
Scriptures, and see the sense in which sanctify is used 
there. 

1. " Every creature of God is good, etc., for it is sanc- 
tified by the word of God and prayer," 1 Tim. iv : 45. 
Yet these creatures were not all made holy, if any of 
them were. They were set apart to a special use ; this 
was all. 

2. God was sanctified at the waters of Meribah. S"um. 



LIVE REL1GI0 US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 89 

xx : 13. Surely God was not made holy. He was hon- 
ored there. 

3. The Father sanctified Christ himself. John x : 36. 
This could not he to make him holy. He just separated 
him to a special work. 

4. The people were commanded to sanctify themselves. 
jSTum. xi : 18 ; Josh, iii : 5. These people did not become 
very holy. They just consecrated, separated, or devoted 
themselves to the work before them. 

5. The people were to sanctify God, Isa. viii : 13. This 
would be entirely paradoxical and absurd, if sanctify 
meant to make holy. 

6. All the first born were sanctified, Ex. xiii : 2. They 
were not all made holy. They were just appointed to a 
special purpose. 

7. Houses and fields were sanctified, Lev. xxvii : 14- 
16. Were the houses unholy before ? Did this sanctifi- 
cation make them holy ? 

8. The church was to be sanctified. Eph. v : 25, 26. 
Only a part of the church was made holy, and that not 
entirely so. 

9. Our whole person, body, soul, and spirit, was to be 
sanctified. 1 Thess. v : 22, 23. Yet Paul said he found 
another law in his members warring against the law of 
his mind. "The carnal mind" was not taken out of 
him. His flesh was not dead. He was just separated to 
God, and devoted to his service. 

10. God is to be sanctified in our hearts, 1 Peter iii : 
15. This cannot mean to make him holy. 

11. The tabernacle, altar, garments, vessels and sacri- 
fices were sanctified, Lev. viii: 10-15 ; x : 3 ; Num. vii : 
1-6. Were these made holy in the true sense of the 
word ? 

12. The disciples at Corinth were once wicked, but 



90 LIVE RELIGIO US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 

they were sanctified, or, as some render this, sanctified 
themselves. 1 Cor. vi : 11. Here we are plainly enough 
told how they were sanctified, and hence, what sanctifi- 
cation was and is. They were consecrated to Christ by 
obeying his gospel. In this process they had not become 
incorruptible, or absolutely holy, but they were devoted 
to a cause that would, if they were faithful, give them in 
the resurrection incorruptibility and deathlessness, or 
immortality and eternal life. 

Here again we see how easy it is to understand a sub- 
ject when we understand the language used concerning it. 
And we are learning important Bible lessons while ex- 
emplifying the rules for Bible study. If the true mean- 
ing of baptize was understood, all disputation as to what 
is baptism would cease. So, if we all understood the 
simple and true meaning of faith, repentance, confession, 
prayer, etc., what a wonderful result would follow ! 



CHATTER VIL 

Manner of Doing Divine Commands. — Doing God's will in God's 
way ; exemplifications in the civil law, in the divine law ; manner 
of observing the Lord's Supper — carrying the ark of the covenant 
— bringing water out of the rock— manner of teaching the Jews, 
Eomans, Mohammedans, Protestants, and Bible plan for evangel- 
izing the world ; manner of observing the Lord's day ; other 
cases ; and the,conclusion, according to these Eules. 

Rule Twelve. — When the law gives the manner of doing a 
thing, then every other manner is excluded, and the manner 
of -procedure is as binding as the thing to be done ; it is part 
of the law. 

EXEMPLIFICATIONS. 

When the law says hang a man by the neck, on a spe- 
cified day, till he is dead, the officers are not at liberty to 
shoot or burn him. Nor can they hang him by the feet. 
They must hang him; they must hang him by the neck-, 
they must hang him till he is dead. It might, perhaps, be 
said the end to be reached was his death, and it did not 
matter how that end was reached. And this might be 
true, if the command had been to kill him, or take his 
life, and no manner of doing it given. But when the 
order is hanging by the neck, the manner is part of the 
law, andjust as important as any other part. The order 
to King Saul, 1 Sam. xv, was to sky all the sinners, the 
Amalekites, and the manner of doing it was not given. 
Saul might, then, do it as he chose, only he should not 
violate any other law, such as that forbidding cruelty. 
AVhen Aaron and his sons were required to wash their 
hands and their feet at the laver, before entering the holy 
place, and the manner of doing this washing was not 

(91) 



92 LIVE RELIGIO US ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 

specified, they could dip them or pour water on them, 
hut it must be doue at the laver, before entering the holy 
place. When Elisha commanded Naaman to go and 
wash in Jordan seven times, (2 Kings 5th chap.), and 
gave no directions as to the manner of doing it, he could 
do it as he pleased ; only it must be in Jordan. He 
chose to do it by dipping, and it was accepted. 

When the Savior gave the Lord's Supper he prescribed 
the manner of observing it at length. Now, then, who 
can suppose that it would be acceptable if we should take 
the wine first, or follow any other course besides the one 
ordered, or if we did it for any other purpose ? And in 
the assembly of the saints, everything as to manner shall 
be done decently and in order. This is important and is 
strictly commanded. Some minor particulars are gener- 
ally not given. In these we may exercise our own judg- 
ment and feelings, so we do not violate some other law : 
such as unnecessarily offending " one of these little 
ones," or not doing to others as we would have them do 
to us. 

In 2 Sam. 6th chapter, we read of David's mistake in 
bringing up the ark, the death of Uzzah, and the anger 
of David. In 1 Chron., 15th chapter, when the ark 
had remained three months in the house of Obed-edom, 
David, having learned why the evil fell upon them, made 
another, and a successful effort to bring it up. And he 
said to the priests: " Sanctify yourselves," etc. For (v. 
13) " because ye did it not at the first, the Lord our God 
made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after 
the due order." The manner of doing it was sacred, 
and for lack of observing it the Lord " made a breach" 

upon Uzzah, etc. 

The ark of the covenant was to be borne, or carried by 
the sanctified priests; Ex. xxv : 14 : xxxvii : 5, etc. The 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DA V. 93 

fatal mistake in the manner of bringing it up was in put- 
ting it on a cart and hauling it. 2 8am. vi : 3. This dis- 
regard of the prescribed manner of conveying the ark 
cost Uzzah his life, and brought other evils. The wrong 
use of the ark caused the death of fifty thousand three 
score and ten Philistines of Bethshemesh. 1 Sam. vi : 
19 — a warning 1 to all who would disregard the sacred- 
ncss of the divine law in any manner or thing. 

The success of Noah in building the ark was in this: 
" Thus did Noah, according to all that God commanded 
him, so did he." Gen. vi : 22 ; vii : 5. 

The success of Moses in making the tabernacle was in 
this : He followed the divine directions in all particulars. 
Ex. xxv : 9-40; xxvi : 30; Nuni viii : 4 ; 1 Chron. xxviii : 
11-19 ; Acts vii : 40. And his failure to enter the prom- 
ised land was in this: He did not proceed in the pre- 
scribed manner in bringing water out of the rock the 
second time. Xum. viii : 8-11. The command was to 
sp( \ak to the rock, and he smote it twice. On the first oc- 
casion ho was to smite the rock, but not this time. This 
was not long before his death. 

The careful Bible student knows that many pages 
might be tilled with examples of this class, all showing 
that the manner, so far as it is prescribed, is as impor- 
tant as the thing to be done. All the blessings connect- 
ep with the Lord's Supper depend on the manner of ob- 
serving it. Departing from the right way of doing it 
brings condemnation. It is eating and drinking damna- 
tion to ourselves. Paul was careful as to his manner of 
preaching Christ, and it was not the manner of men. 1 
Cor. ii : 1-7. 

The manner of teaching the Jews was not what we 
call preaching, but reading the law every Sabbath day, 
and at the annual feasts, etc. Thus Moses " took the 



94 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

book of the covenant and read in the audience of the 
people," etc. Ex. xxiv: 7. So Joshua read it all to 
the people, the women and the children. Josh, viii : 34, 
35. And Neh. viii : 3-18. And Ezra " read therein be- 
fore the street that was before the water-gate from morn- 
ing (Heb. from the light) until midday before the men 
and the women, and those that could understand," L e., 
about six hours each day of the feast. "Also (v. 18) day 
by day from the first day until the last day he read in the 
book of the law." Here were about forty-two hours of 
reading, giving the sense, aud causing the people to un- 
derstand the reading, during one feast. Afterwards it is 
said, Neh. ix : 3 : "And they stood up in their places and 
read in the book of the law of the Lord their Gocl one- 
fourth part of the day, and another fourth part they con- 
fessed, and worshiped the Lord their God." Hence we 
read, Acts xv : 21 : " For Moses of old time hath in 
every city them that preach him, being read in the syn- 
agogues every Sabbath day." Their reading and com- 
menting, or giving the sense, was what we call expository 
preaching; not at all the modern textuary, or clergy 
style. Jesus followed this expository style. Luke iv : 
16, etc. Hence Paul, 1 Tim. iv: 13, commands that he 
"give attendance to reading," etc. Why not? The 
type read Moses and the prophets. We read Christ and 
the apostles every Lord's day in the congregations now. 
Why not read, give the sense, and cause the people to 
understand the reading ? This would teach them more 
than the best modern preaching of the strongest hired 
preacher in the land. So much for our departure from 
the Bible manner of teaching the disciples. Why not 
adopt the Bible manner ? How dare we depart from it ? 
And the manner of raising funds, of church co-opera- 
tion, and of doing missionary work is clearly given — the 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 95 

latter fully exemplified in tlie life of Paul. And we are 
repeatedly and expressly charged to copy Paul's exam- 
ple. How dare we, then, adopt any other plan or man- 
ner of doing these things ? Should we not feel that, as 
Moses suffered when he departed from the manner pre- 
scribed for bringing water out of the rock, so we may 
suffer for departing from the apostolic manner of doing 
missionary work, etc. ? And that as Nadab and Abihu 
died before the Lord, when they offered strange fire on 
his altar (jSTum. iii: 4; xxvi; 61, etc.) so we are in dan- 
ger when we depart from the divine manner of doing 
the work of the Lord in any of these things ? 

The Roman hierarchy and the Mohammedans have 
departed from the divine plan for spreading the truth, 
and overcoming enemies, so far as to take the sword. 
Many have departed from the divine plan for governing 
the churches so far as to make human creeds and discip- 
lines. Some of them, when pressed with their depart- 
ures, have presumptuously claimed that God has 
provided no plan of government for his church ! So 
manifest is it, that when God makes provision as to how 
his work is to be done, it is rebellion to depart from it ! 
Some now, pressed in the same way, pretend that the 
manner of raising funds, preaching, doing missionary 
work, etc., is not given in the New Testament ! Because 
they feel that, if it is given, it is sacrilegious to depart 
from it. They, it appears, cannot see how Paul did 
these things, or the commands to copy his example ! 
Hence all the disturbing church governments, mission- 
ary societies, etc, etc. And hence, too, all the fallacies 
of arguments and efforts to sustain and justify them. 
Let us learn this : " For my thoughts are not yonr 
thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my 



96 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your 
thoughts." Isa. lv; 8, 9. Let our self-will, self-confi- 
dence, and rebelliousness be broken down and swallowed 
up in the will of God. Then we will not desire our own 
ways ; we will, as Jesus did, say and feel, " not my will, 
but thine be done " in all things ! Then will truth tri- 
umph ! Not before ! 

THE LORD'S DAY. 

We have precisely the same reason for a particular 
manner of observing the Lord's day that we have for 
observing it at all, viz., the example of the first Chris- 
tians. Hence, we are just as firmly bound to observe it 
after their manner as we are to observe it at all. The au- 
thority for the manner is the same as the authority for 
observing the day at all. It is nowhere called a Sabbath, 
and it cannot be truthfully, for it is not properly a day of 
rest. And if we were to rest from our own work, stay 
in-doors, kindle no fires, etc., after the Jew's manner of 
observing the Sabbath, we would not be observing the 
Lord's day. We must " not neglect the assembling of 
ourselves together," etc. Then, by the same potent au- 
thority, we must attend to (1) the apostolic teaching ; 
(2) the fellowship ; (3) the breaking of bread ; (4) the 
prayers ; (5) teaching and admonishing one another in 
holy songs ; (6) exhorting one another ; (7) withdrawing 
from the incorrigibly wicked ; (8) receiving the worthy. 
In this manner did the ancient churches observe the first 
day of the week. Not a word is said about our modern 
pastor or his sermonizing. How we deceive ourselves if 
we imagine we are observing this holy day when we sim- 
ply cease from our ordinary work, or when we listen to 
an eloquent sermon, and perhaps put a few dimes into 
the church treasury ! " These ought ye to have done, 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 97 

and not to have left the others undone." And what of 
those who observe the day Scripturally once a month, 
once in three months, or once a year ! Is this the meas- 
ure of their obedience ? Is this their Christianity ? It 
is not apostolic Christianity ! 

This rule is based on the grand principle that, what- 
ever in manner or work the Master is int erested suffi- 
ciently in to order and direct, we should be interested in 
sufficiently to practice to the letter, so far as we are able. 
Short of this we are poor servants, and should not ex- 
pect him to say " well done." Half-hearted servants are 
not good or faithful servants. Three-fourth servants are 
not good or faithful, or nine-tenths servants, nor even 
ninety-nine hundreth servants ! The Master calls for all 
the heart, and has not proposed to receive less. Shall we 
observe the Lord's way of doing the Lord's work? 

[Only enough is said here of these several matters to 
exemplify the rule. The Lord's day, raising money, 
missionary work, co-operation, etc., are examined more 
carefully further on.] 
7 



CHAPTER VIII. 

Importance of Sound Speech.— Imperativeness of this rule— its true 
meaning shown by many exemplifications— the same idea in 
other words ; many ordinances, but no sacraments ; we must call 
■ Bible things by Bible names, when we can— not add to or take 
from ; it requires the only course that can give us union— forbids 
what would cause divisions, classes, strifes etc. 

Thirteenth rule. — "Holdfast the form of sound words." 
2 Tim. i: 13. 

In justification of this rule, see 1 Cor. i: 10. There 
Paul commands that all the saints "in every place "(see 
verses 1, 2.) " shall speak the same thing," and so he 
"perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the 
same judgment." Col. iv: 6. "Let your speech he al- 
ways with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know 
how you ought to answer every man." Certainly there 
can be neither grace nor salt in unscriptural words, 
names and phrases; there is not even obedience. 1 
Tim. vi : 3, 4 : " If any man teach otherwise, and consent 
not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine that is according to 
godliness ; he is proud," etc. In Titus ii : 8, Paul com- 
mands "sound speech that cannot be condemned, etc. 
To call Bible things by Bible names, is sound speech, 
beyond question, and has all the grace and salt there is 
in obedience. Can we — dare we add to this, or take 
from it? Dare we re-arrange or modify it? 

EXEMPLIFICATIONS. 

The word renderecl/o?^i in 2 Tim. i : 13, is hupotupoosisy 
and means an outline. It is found, also, 1 Tim. i : 16, 
and is rendered pattern, " for a pattern," etc. It is, there- 
fore, more forcible in this case than the word (tupon) 
(98) 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 99 

usually rendered form would be. The idea is that Paul 
gives an outline of the manner in which we should 
speak, and commands Timothy to copy, or follow it as 
a form or pattern. (1) We must, therefore, call the first 
day of the week, " the Lord's clay " and " the first day of 
the week," for only these names are given to it in the New 
Testament. This is " sound speech," and cannot be 
spoken against. But whenever we call it " the Sabbath," 
or "the Christian Sabbath," we depart from the outline, 
or pattern and do not use sound speech. Here begins 
controversy. (2) When we speak of u the Lord's sup- 
per," and the "breaking of the loaf," we use "sound 
speech which cannot be condemned." No other name 
is given to that ordinance in the New Testament. 
When we call it the " sacrament," or the " sacrament of 
the Lord's supper," we do not use sound speech, and are 
condemned as disobedient. Sacrament means an oath, 
and is never applied to any Christian ordinance. (Oaths 
are forbidden.) It is from Rome, not from the apostles. 
(3) When we speak of the ordinances of the gospel, we 
are scriptural. Ordinances mean things ordered, and is 
rightly applied to whatever Christ has ordered; as 
preaching the gospel, faith, repentance, baptism, the 
Lord's supper, prayer, etc. The pope has seven sacra- 
ments; some protestants have two. The New Tes- 
tament has more. But it has many ordinances. " Zach- 
arias and Elisabeth walked in all the ordinances." Luke 
i: 6. How strange that we cannot be content with 
these Bible names! (4) When we speak of the messen- 
gers of the churches, we use sound speech. When we 
use delegate, in the sense usually attached to it, we de- 
part from sound speech, and disobey Paul. (5) When 
we speak of "the elders," or "the bishops" of the 
church, and of the " deacons," we use " sound speech, that 



100 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

cannot be condemned." But when we speak of "the 
pastor," after the modern style, we depart from the 
faith, and disobey. (6) When we speak of preachers as 
of other men, without a prefix or an affix, we are copy- 
ing the apostolic example. So the apostles spoke of 
themselves ; so their brethren spoke of them — as " James 
a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of John." But 
when we prefix Rev., or affix D.D., we widely depart 
from the divine example, and " are convicted as trans- 
gressors." This course can never enable us all to " speak 
the same thing," and to " be perfectly united." These hu- 
manisms have neither grace nor salt in them, and can 
only create strife and evil. They mean a higher class, 
and lording it over God's heritage. (7) When we pray 
and give thanks "in the name of Jesus," we observe 
the prescribed form. This is sound speech. But when 
we pray "for Christ's sake," we are far wrong. This is 
imscriptural, and conveys, as most unscriptural words 
and phrases do, a wrong idea. It means, for the love 
the Father had for Christ. It means to go before the 
Father m our own persons, and plead the merits of 
Christ ! It means to get in his place and do his work ! 
He ever lives to intercede for us, pleading his own mer- 
its. Again : Why not follow the scriptural form ? This 
is indisputably right, and can offend no one. As well 
might we presume that we can improve on the Bible 
ideas as on the Bible manner of expressing them. Can 
we hope to improve upon infinite wisdom? Do we pre- 
sume to disregard the apostolic injunction? Does it not 
seem that if we need unscriptural words and phrases, it 
is because we have unscriptural ideas to express ? If our 
ideas are scriptural, no words or phrases can so well ex- 
press them as those found in the scriptures. Hence the 
conclusion that these unscriptural words and phrases 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 101 

mean unscriptural ideas, and dissatisfaction with the Bi- 
ble manner and style. (8) This is all applicable, also, to 
the names of the church and of the followers of Christ. 
There are, indeed, some special reasons why we should 
wear only scriptural names. The church is the Bride, the 
Lamb's wife, and should wear his name alone, as a good 
wife wears her husband's name alone. Why needs she 
another, if she is satisfied with his? All sects and par- 
ties wear this, but not it alone. Mrs. Smith may still 
be called Mrs. Smith, but whenever she desires to be 
called Mrs. Jones also, there is trouble. And the ex- 
cuses for these denominational names are equal to the 
names themselves. The prevailing one is, to distinguish 
the wearers from other Christians. And that is the 
very thing that brotherly love does not want. It bears 
heresy, sect and sin on its fore-front ! It wants to be 
distinguished and separate from other Christians ! This 
is the spirit of sect-ism. It is schismaticism. And 
nothing is more directly anti-Christian. Party names 
serve this evil spirit. Brotherly love serves to unite, and 
"keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace." 
As regards our carnal relations, Ave need different names ; 
as Peter, Paul, etc. But in our spiritual relations we 
need only the same names, and can wear no other with- 
out sin. (9) The vexing unitarian-trinitarian question, 
since the days of Arius and Athanasius, can only be 
settled by this rule. No one can object if we " hold fast 
the form of sound words " as to this'. And we can speak 
of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and 
their relations, in the language of the scriptures, which 
all believe, and which perhaps, on this subject none fully 
understand. Indeed, Paul seems to affirm that, after all 
the revelations we have, this remains mysterious; thus, 
1 Tim. iii : 16, "And without controversy, great is the 



102 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

mystery of godliness." Uusebeia, here rendered godli- 
ness, means piety, and involves our direct relations with 
the God-head, the revelations of the Father, the Son and 
Holy Spirit, and with each other. Man is a grand trin- 
ity, also. Has he not "body, soul, and spirit ? " 1 Thess. 
v : 23. But no man fully understands these, or their 
relations to each other. " Who by searching can find 
out God," or the relations of the Father, Son and Holy 
Spirit ? Christians are united by faith, and in faith — 
not in knowledge, opinions, or understanding. They 
have never been, and cannot be one in opinions, or their 
understanding of difficult passages of scripture. We 
all believe these scriptures, whether we understand 
them or not. In faith we are one. And we may have 
no trouble if we will speak of these mysterious matters 
as the scriptures speak of them, and not urge our opin- 
ions of their meaning upon others. 

How important, then, is this rule! It gives us union, 
harmony, peace, joy and success. It settles our difficul- 
ties, and makes us all safe, useful and happy. The de- 
parters from it " sow discord among brethren," and are 
"an abomination" to God. Prov. vi: 16-19. "These 
six things doth the Lord hate : yea, seven are an abom- 
ination to him ! " And the seventh is, " he that soweth 
discord among brethren." Shall we do this for opinion's 
sake ? 

Let us, therefore, not only " speak where the Bible 
speaks, and be silent where the Bible is silent," but let 
us, also, speak as the Bible speaks on all these difficult 
and dividing matters. We cannot always give Bible 
language in giving our opinions and preferences, but 
we can, and we must, if we would please God and have 
union, speak of matters of faith, and of all these diffi- 
cult and disturbing matters, in the words of the Spirit. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 103 

These are " wholesome words," and " minister grace ; " 
they are " sound words," the " form of sound teaching," 
and have in them " the bond of peace," and the saving 
salt of obedience to divine authority. 



CHAPTEE IX. 

Importance of Clear Testimony— The Special Reason— Mediation. 
Exemplifications ; Soul sleeping, infant baptism, both rest on con 
fessedly doubtful testimony, and are unsafe; especial reasons fcr 
observing the Sabbath ; for destroying the Canaanites ; for spar- 
ing and punishing the wicked ; for the suffering of the righteous. 
Why Jesus told the disciples beforehand — why he died ; impor- 
tance and naturalness of mediation— counting up the cost — think- 
ing. 

Fourteenth Rule. — No important teaching or practice 
is to be based upon doubtful or ambiguous Scriptures. 

EXEMPLIFICATIONS. 

1. In a debate, when the object was to prove that the 
spirit of man has no conscious existence from death to 
the resurrection, the affirmant quoted Ps. xxxvii : 20 : 
" But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the 
Lord shall be as the fat of lambs : they shall consume ; 
into smoke shall they consume away." This entire 
Psalm shows a present contrast between the righteous 
and the wicked, and has no direct reference to the future 
state. Only by the saddest and most palpable perver- 
sion can any part of it be made to serve the soul-sleep- 
ing doctrine in the least. Similar passages are found, 
Ps, cii : 3 ; cxix : 83 ; Jas. iv : 14 " For my days are con- 
sumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an 
hearth." And still he was able to write, " For I am be- 
come like a battle in the smoke ; yet do I not forget thy 
statutes." All these clearly refer to this life. Then he 
referred to Isa. xxxviii ; 18 ; " For the grave cannot 
praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee ; they that go 
down into this pit cannot hope for thy truth." This re- 
(104) 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 105 

fers to that part of man that goes to the grave. His 
spirit " goes to God who gave it." Ecc. xii : 7 : " Then 
shall the dust return to the earth as it was : and the 
spirit shall return unto God who gave it.'* He quoted 
also Ps. vi : 5 ; xxx : 9 ; lxxxviii : 11 ; cxv : 17, and Ecc. 
ix : 10 : " For there is no work, nor device, nor knowl- 
edge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." 
This is the meaning of all the other references under this 
head. That which goes into the grave does not work, 
and has no knowledge, etc. But the spirit does not go 
into the grave. How absurd to found a doctrine and 
build a sect on such passages when, to say the least, they 
are doubtful ! 

When they desire to prove that the wicked will be 
blotted out or annihilated after being raised from the 
dead, they quote 2 Thess. i : 9 : " Who shall be punished 
with everlasting destruction from the presence of the 
Lord, and from the glory of his power." The literal is, 
" age — during destruction," or punishment. The "age- 
during," or everlasting destruction, is eternal banish, 
ment from his presence, and forbids the idea of ceasing 
to be. The person must exist as long as the punishment, 
i. e., forever. 

2. Infant baptism is based entirely on Scriptures of 
this doubtful class. When, in a debate in Palestine, 
Texas, in 1854, it was proved by pedo-baptist authors 
that baptism is a positive ordinance, and that for all pos- 
itive ordinances we must have positive authority, and 
that this authority must be taken in its primary, literal 
sense, and all this was fully admitted, the speaker called 
on his opponent for the positive authority for infant bap- 
tism. He was not answered, till, after many calls, when 
the pressure became unbearable, he finally referred to 
Matt, xix: 13-15; Mark x : 13; Luke xviii : 15. But 



106 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE BAY. 

here there is not one word about baptism. " Little chil- 
dren were brought " to the Savior, and it is inferred that 
he baptized them. But the eentext is against the infer- 
ence ; for it is said that they were carried to him " that 
he should put his hands on them and pray." And " he 
laid his hands on them." This was the object and de- 
sign ; and this the end gained; not baptism. If we were 
not told what they were carried to him for, or what Jesus 
did, the inference could be no authority for a positive or- 
dinance like baptism. 

Then we read of households baptized, as in 1 Cor. i : 
16 ; Acts xvi : 15, etc. ; and of greetings sent to various 
households, as Rom. xvi ; 10. And from these it is 
inferred that infants were baptized. But man living 
preachers have baptized far more households than are 
named in the New Testament, and yet never baptized an 
infant ! We all know that many households have no in- 
fants. Besides, the circumstances do not favor the pres- 
ence of infants in any of the households baptized. There 
is no evidence that Lydia ever had any children, and if 
she had, it is not probable that she would have them 
with her on a distant business tour. Her servants con- 
stituted her household. And it is as clearly said that 
Paul preached to the jailer's household, and that they 
rejoiced, as it is said that they were baptized. If the 
jailer had children large enough to be preached to, and 
to rejoice, (implying that they believed and obeyed), 
there could be no objection to their baptism. 

Is it safe or wise to found an important doctrine and 
practice upon such passages ? Are they not, to say the 
least, very doubtful ? Surely they afford not sufficient 
authority for a positive ordinance. And yet these are 
the best that can be found for infant baptism. Hence, 
R. Baxter says : " I know of no one word in Scripture 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 107 

that givetli us the least intimation that ever man was 
baptized without the profession of a saving faith, or that 
givetli the least encouragement to baptize any one on 
another's faith." 

Erasmus says : " Paul does not seem in Rom. v; 14 to 
treat about infants. * * *. ; J£ was not yet the custom 
for infants to be baptized." 

Dr. Field says : " The baptism of infants is therefore 
named a tradition, because it is not expressly delivered in 
Scripture that the apostles did baptize infants, nor any 
express precept there found that they should do so." 

AVhately (A. b. p.) says : " The silence of the sacred 
writers on the subject is, at least so far as any express di- 
rections are concerned, admitted on all hands." 

So say Bishop Taylor, Hagenbach, Halm, Lindner, 
Xeander, Olshausen, Schliermacher, Von Coclin, Chil- 
ling worth, De La Roque, Dr. Owen, Salmasius, and Sni- 
cerns, and many others — all pedo-baptists. 

This rule, which is not questioned by any party, and 
not to be denied by any candid investigator, forever ex- 
cludes infant baptism; and would save us from many 
errors which have greatly troubled the church and hin- 
dered the gospel. 

Fifteenth Rule.— Observe the special reason given, if 
any, for the thing said or done, or to be done. 

exemplifications. 
1. The Sabbath.— Why keep the.Sabbath ? There may 
be other reasons , but three are distinctly given, either of 
which was sufficient. (1.) It was to be a sign between 
the children of Israel and God. Ex. xxxi : 13 : Ezek. 
xx : 12-20. [(2.) God rested the seventh day, and 
therefore he required the Jews to rest. Ex. xx: 11. 
(3.) God delivered Israel, and therefore they should keep 



108 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

his Sabbath in remembrance of this. Deut. v : 15. 

Besides being disobedience, to neglect to keep the Sab- 
bath was to disregard the divine example, to be forget- 
ful of their deliverance, and to be careless as to the signs 
that distinguished them from all other people as the 
servants of the living God. 

2. Why destroy the inhabitants of Canaan, etc? The 
Jews were not only to destroy the people, and make no 
league with them, but also to break down their altars, 
cut down their groves, etc., and so far as possible remove 
the very name of their idols and a knowledge of their 
worship. This was not intended as cruelty. They de- 
served all they could suffer. The Supreme Ruler was 
far from being under obligation to them. He was not 
under obligation to bring them into being, or to keep 
them on the earth. There was no superior to whom he 
could be under obligation. But the reason assigned 
for this stringent course is plain and commendable. It 
is : " For they will turn away thy son from following 
me." Deut. vii : 4. " Lest thou make a covenant with 
the inhabitants of the land, and go lewdly after their 
gods." Ex. xxxiv: 15, 16. "For surely they will turn 
away your heart after their gods." 1 Kings xi : 2. 

This precaution, while it worked no injustice to any 
one, was a wise precaution of a very gracious Father for 
his children. It establishes the principle that tempta- 
tions should be removed, as well as resisted, when they 
are not removed. God tries his people, as he tried Abra- 
ham, but never beyond what they should be able to bear. 
He does it for their good, i. e., that they may not be de- 
ceived in themselves. He " tempts no man " to evil. Paul, 
in 1 Cor. xv: 33, says: "Evil communications corrupt 
good manners." The idea is, evil associations. And in 
Phil, iii: 2, he says: "Beware of evil workers." Rom. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 109 

xvi: 17 says of evil workers, "Avoid them." 2 Thess. 
iii :] 6, 14, say : " Have no company with him." We can 
all see the wisdom of avoiding evil company, tempta- 
tions and dangers, and seeking all the aids we can get. 
If the Bible did not teach this, its enemies would have 
reason to complain of it. They complain now that it 
does this ; their complaint is against all reason and all 
facts. 

3. Spewing and Punishing the Wicked. — God sometimes 
spares the wicked long after they are ripe for destruction, 
that he may make an example of them, and so make 
them a warning to others, as in the case of Pharaoh, 
Bom. ix : 22 : " The vessels of wrath fitted to destruc- 
tion." Ex., 1st to 15th chapters, show all this very 
fully. God would be honored in all this. 2 Pet. iii : 9 
says : God's " is long suffering to us-ward, not willing 
that any should perish, but that all should come to re- 
pentance." He would give them a further chance to re- 
pent and live. 

4. Why do the righteous suffer ?— King David says, Ps. 
cxix : 67-71 : " Before I was afflicted I went astray ; but 
now have I kept thy word." * * * " It is good for 
me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy 
statutes." These afflictions brought him back when he 
had gone astray ; and they caused him to learn God's 
statutes. This is a good and very merciful reason. See 
also Jer. xxxi : 18, 19. Then Heb. xii : 9, 10 says : " We 
have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we 
gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in 
subjection unto the Father of spirits unci live ? For 
they verily for a few clays chastened us after their own 
pleasure ; but he for our profit, that we might be partak- 
ers of his holiness."' God's chastisements are all in 
mercy. In 2 Cor. xii: 7 Paul says: "And lest I should 



110 LIVE RELIG10 US ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 

be exalted above measure, through the abundance of the 
revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, 
the messenger of Satan, to buffet me, lest I should be 
exalted above measure." Here we have two good and 
sufficient reasons given for the sufferings of saints, viz., 
1. To keep them from being exalted, or otherwise going 
astray; 2. To bring them back when they have gone 
astray. This is not cruel. " As a father pitieth his child 
so the Lord pitieth those who put their trust in him." 
Blessed and hallowed Father ! Our Father who art in 
heaven ! Let us ever believe that he will make all things 
work for our good. We may not always see his hand or 
understand his purpose in allowing us to be afflicted, but 
we shall know hereafter. 

5. Why Jesus told the disciples beforehand. — "Now I 
tell you before it come, that when it is come to pass you 
may believe that I am he." John xiii : 19. Jesus was 
careful to aid their faith. He would feed and strengthen 
it. And John xx : 30, 31 tells of other signs, and why 
these are written. " These are written that ye might 
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God." How 
plain and sensible these reasons are ! With his reason 
before us for doing or not doing, for requiring us to do, 
or forbidding our doing given things, we are far better 
prepared to understand these cases. 

It is said that a sensible man always has a good and 
sufficient reason for what he does. When we read Acts 
viii : 38, 39, and see Philip and the eunuch wading down 
into the water, we may feel inclined to ask for the rea- 
son. If we remain silent, and witness Philip sprinkle a 
little water on the eunuch's head, and then come up out 
of the water, we might break silence and ask why they 
waded down into the water ! No sensible reason could 
be given. But if we see Philip, after reaching a suffi- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. Ill 

cient depth, bury the eunuch in the water and raise him 
again, and then come up out of the water, we would, 
without asking, see a good and sufficient reason for their 
going down into the water. Peter says (1 Peter iii : 15) : 
" But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts ; and be 
ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh 
you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness 
and fear." As God gives us reasons for what he does, 
and largely for what he requires us to do or not to do, so 
he would have us to be ever ready with a good and sen- 
sible reason for what we do, etc. 

6. Why Jesus died. He is very careful to tell us. 
" Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down 
my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it 
from me, but I lay it down of myself." John x: 17, 18. 
Luke xxiv : 46, 47 tells us his death was a necessity. 
Man could not be saved without it. " Without the shed- 
ding of blood there was no remission." Heb. ix : 22. 

Rule Sixteen. — Meditate upon these things.'" 1 Tim. 
iv: 15. 

EXEMPLIFICATIONS. 

Thoughtlessness, or lack of proper meditation and 
consideration, has been the ruin of the world. It is one 
great reason why people do not understand what they 
read. Gen. xxiv : 63. " Isaac went out to meditate in 
the field ; " and Rebecca came. Josh, i : 8. " Thou shalt 
meditate therein day and night." Ps. i : 2. " In his 
law doth he meditate day and nigh't." Ps. Ixiii : 6. "And 
meditate on thee in the night watches ; " cxix : 15. "I will 
meditate in thy precepts;" cxliii : 5. "I meditate on 
all thy works." 1 Sam. i ; 16. " Out of the abundance 
of my meditations." Ps. cxix : 97. " I love thy law, it 
is my meditation all the day. " cxix : 99. " I have more 



112 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

knowledge than all my teachers, for thy testimonies are 
my meditations." Phil, iv : 8. " Think on these things." 

This is the one thing needful in the study of the Holy 
Scriptures, when we are fairly at the work. Think, med- 
itate, compare, reconsider, and correct ; always holding 
the mind ready to see errors, new truths, or a better way 
of putting them. Count up the cost, look to the end, 
and the account there to be rendered. 

~Not long since a minister assigned as a reason for a 
very absurd and unjust course, that he had to account to 
his elder and bishop. Some one suggested that it might 
be well to remind him of the account he would have to 
give to his Judge. We are building for eternity. Let us 
count up the cost, " be circumspect," " vigilant," " earn- 
est." This is " the one thing needful," and the danger 
is all on one side ; that we will not give it sufficient con- 
sideration. 



CHAPTER X. 

Figurative Language. — Figures a necessity ; three manners of teach- 
ing — Types, Parables and Literal ; what writers on Rhetoric say 
of figures — specimens of the hyperbole — the Bible manner of stat- 
ing these things; meaning of Types and Parables, by various au- 
thors, etc. Rule I, exemplified, Luke xv; Rom. ix: 20, 21; 
Jer. xviii, etc. The potter and clay, Matt, xxii ; the king's wed- 
ding feast ; Blair's Rhetoric, warnings and instructions. 

Figurative language was a necessity. "The barren- 
ness of language made it necessary to use words in a 
figurative sense; and to use figures." "An Indian chief, 
in an ordinary harangue to his tribe, uses more metaphors 
than a European would employ in an epic poem." "As 
a language progresses in refinement, precision is more 
regarded, and there is a tendency to give every object a 
distinct name of its own." The first writing for those 
at a distance was by making pictures on smooth sur- 
faces. All ancient languages abounded in pictures and 
figures, as do the languages of all the wild tribes now. 
To understand these pictures and figures was, and is, a 
study, and seldom yields complete satisfaction. We can 
learn more from them in a brief time; as from a globe 
or map of the world; but we cannot learn the minutiae. 

Another reason for pictures and figures is, they serve 
very powerfully to impress the mind. Hence, we are re- 
turning to this style in our dictionaries and most scien- 
tific books, notwithstanding the refinement of our lan- 
guage and style. 

The Bible, the most ancient of all books, abounds in 
types and figures from first to last, especially in the Old 
Testament, and during the personal ministry of the 
8 (113) 



114 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

Savior. "Without a parable spake lie not unto them." 
Mark iv: 34. The listening disciples did not under- 
stand all of these and asked explanations in private. 
Of course they are a study for us, and we need all the 
aid we can get in this investigation. If we fail to un- 
derstand them, the failure is not to be remedied. 

THREE MANNERS OF TEACHING IN THE BIBLE. 

There are in the Bible, as will more fully appear fur- 
ther on, three ways of teaching; not three teachings, 
but three ways of teaching one great lesson : 

1. The Types of the Old Testament. 

2. The Parables of the Savior. 

3. The literal teaching of the apostles. 

These harmonize most happily ; and to understand 
God's revelation we must study each. No Christian 
should be content without mastering at least several of 
the most important Old Testament Types ; then as many 
at least, of the Savior's incomparable parables ; and then 
the literal teaching of the apostles will be easier, clearer 
and more forcible. 

WHAT WRITERS ON RHETORIC SAY OF FIGURES. 

Writers on rhetoric speak of " figures of orthography, 
etymology and syntax." These they arrange under 
" Figures of orthography, figures of etymology, figures 
of syntax, and figures of rhetoric." " Rhetoricians have 
devoted much attention to defining, analyzing, and clas- 
sifying them ; and, by making slight shades of differ- 
ence sufficient grounds for the formation of new classes, 
have succeeded in enumerating more than two hundred 
and fifty." Such minuteness is of no practical use. It 
is affirmed that " Every figure of words, and every figure 
of speech, whether belonging to the poet, the orator, 
the historian, to the plain unlettered swain, or the more 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 115 

polished scholar, is found in the sacred writings." 
Campbell, 

There are seven principal tropes, (which mean, turn- 
ing,) viz : the metaphor, the allegory, the metonomy, 
the synecdoche, the irony, the hyperbole, and the cata- 
chesis. And we may safely say, " there is a great anal- 
ogy and relation between them all." Hence it is not 
important, in this place, to dwell upon them in detail. 
The first president of Bethany College says, concerning 
figures of speech : " There are about twenty, which are 
regarded as principal." One of our leading works on 
rhetoric — Quackenbos — now used in our schools, says : 

" The sixteen principal figures are, simile, metaphor, 
allegory, metonomy, synecdoche, hyperbole, vision, apos- 
trophe, personification, interrogation, exclamation, an- 
tithesis, climax, irony, apophasis, and anomatopceia." 

It would be easy, and rather a pleasant task, to follow 
these authors, give definitions of each figure, with vari- 
ous illustrations and facts in prose and poetry, and per- 
haps entertain the reader. But this would be out of 
place here. These matters are in reach of all who would 
study them. What is aimed at here is not scientific de- 
tail, but Bible teaching for the common people. 

You see how standard authors vary in numbering and 
naming these figures. Let it be remembered that they all 
agree in saying "these minute distinctions are not so 
important." But if all kinds of figures are in the 
holy Scriptures, then we should acquaint ourselves with 
them, as we may be able. President Campbell says: 

" A very superficial reader of the New Testament will observe that 
many errors were committed by the contemporaries of the Messiah 
and his apostles, from supposing them to speak without a figure, 
when they spoke figuratively. For example : Jesus said, ' Unless you 
eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of man, you have no life 
in you.' This occasioned some of his disciples to stumble and desert 



116 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

him. 'How,' said they, 'can this man give us his flesh to eat?' 
Again, ' Destroy this temple,' said Jesus, ' and in three days I will 
raise it up again.' The Jews understood the word temple, literally. 
Even some of the apostles erred in this way. ' If I will,' said he, ' that 
he (John) tarry till I come, what is that to you ? follow me.' They 
understood him to speak of his literal coming in person ; and reported 
that John would never die. The Samaritan woman made the same 
mistake when she said, ' the well is deep, and you have no bucket to 
draw, Whence then have you this living water?' Hence we may 
learn that much depends on our being able to decide when words 
are to be understood figuratively, and when literally." 
This learned author says at another time : 
"The rankest error in the business of interpreting the Scripture, 
will be found to exist in confounding the figurative meaning of words, 
with the literal ; or the literal with the figurative. Enthusiasm has 
two extremes — the one literalizes every thing; the other extreme 
spiritualizes every thing. The Romanist says the Savior literally 
meant what he said, when he said of the loaf, 'this is my body,' and of 
the cup, ' this is my blood.' And hence originated the doctrine of 
transubstantiation. A lady in New England, some time since, said 
that Jesus literally meant what he said, when he said to his disciples, 
' If your right had offend you, cut it off and throw it away.' Her 
right hand having offended her, she literally cut it off and threw it 
away! This is one extreme; the other consists in making words fig- 
urative which are not so; thus, 'The walls of Jericho fell down,' 
means that the arguments which sustain false religion were demol- 
ished before the approach of the new church of God under Jesus. 
'And they blew the trumpets seven times,' means that the divine 
truth was brought down upon the bulwarks of error, complete and 
perfect." etc. 

THE HYPERBOLE. 

Take a few scriptural examples of hyperbole, (excess.) 
" The mountains and hills shall break forth before you 
into singing; and all the trees of the field shall clap 
their hands." Isa. lv : 12. " His breath kindleth coals, 
and a flame goeth out of his mouth. His eyes are like 
the eye-lids of the morning." Job xli : 18. So, " thy 
seed shall be as the sands of the sea, the dust of the 
earth, the stars of heaven." " Saul and Jonathan were 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 117 

swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions." 2 
Sam. i : 23. " I make my bed to swim." " Rivers of 
waters run down mine eyes." Psl. cxix : 186. " If 
these should hold their peace the stones would cry out," 
etc. 

These instances, while they might be indefinitely con- 
tinued in illustration of all the principal figures of 
speech, may be sufficient to accomplish two ends : 

1. To show the importance of understanding the fig- 
ures of the Bible, and, consequently the rules and prin- 
ciples by which they may be understood. 

2. To induce those who really desire to learn, to se- 
cure and study those works on rhetorical language which 
explain them. They are found in our schools of learn- 
ing, and many other books, as Ernesti, Horn, Stewart, 
partly in our Bible dictionaries, and largely in our vari- 
ous encyclopedias, etc. 

THE BIBLE MANNER OF PUTTING THESE MATTERS. 

While the Bible uses all the figures freely, it speaks 
especially of types and parables; the types of the Old 
Testament and the parables of the Great Teacher. And 
it may be sufficient here to speak only of these. The 
others, so far as they are not included in these, will be 
easily comprehended by the same rules that enable us to 
understand these. 

Had the Bible been intended especially for the learned, 
no doubt all these figures would have been arrayed in 
very exact and imposing order. But it was designed to 
suit the common people. Hence as few as possible of 
learned distinctions are given. This work is designed 
to be like the Bible in this, as in other respects, and 
hence it will not go over these nicer and less important 
distinctions. It will carefully consider Bible types and 
parables ; for here we need to be careful. 



118 LI VE EELIGIO US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 

MEANING OF TYPES AND PARABLES. 

A type is " an emblem ; that which represents some- 
thing else; a sign, symbol, or figure of something to 
come; as Abraham's sacrifice and the paschal lamb 
are types of Christ. To this word is opposed anti-type. 
Christ, in this case, is the anti-type." — Webster. 

Type is from the Greek tupos, and is found in the New 
Testament fourteen times. John xx : 25 ; Acts vii : 43, 
44 ; xxiii : 25 ; Eom. v : 14 ; vi : 17 — "that form of doc- 
trine;" 1 Cor. x: 6, 11; Phil, iii : 17; 1 Thess. i: 7; 
2 Thess. iii: 9; 1 Tim. iv : 12; Titus ii: 7; Heb. viii : 
5 ; 1 Pet. v : 3. And it is rendered print, figures, fashion, 
manner, form, examples, ensamples, pattern,m the common 
version. Other translations do not materially vary from 
these renderings. Tupos is traced to tuptoo, to strike; as 
when the metal type strikes the paper. The impression 
made on the paper is the anti-type, or the thing set over 
againt the type. It has in it always the idea of likeness, 
resemblance ; and hence, comparison. Thus, Abraham's 
sacrifice is compared with Christ's sacrifice ; the paschal 
lamb, with Christ as its anti-type. In this a type resem- 
bles a parable. 

"Parable is from parabolee, from paraballoo, to throw 
forward or against, to compare, and means an allegori- 
cal relation or representation of something real in life 
or nature, from which a moral is drawn for instruction ; 
as the parable of the ten virgins." Matt, xxv.— Webster. 

Parabolee is found forty-eight times, and is rendered 
parable or parables forty-four times, comparison once, 
proverb once, figure twice. 

The use of this term shows that it takes something 
real; as a vineyard, a wedding feast, a sheep-fold and 
shepherd, etc., with which the people were acquainted, 
to illustrate an unreal something, with which the people 



LIVE RELIGIO US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 119 

were not acquainted. Thus, "the kingdom of heaven 
is like unto a husbandman," etc. Matt, xx : 1. The 
kingdom of heaven was not then in existence ; it was 
unreal. No one had ever seen it. And the best that 
could be done was to tell the people it was, or was to be, 
like something real and tangible, with which they were 
acquainted. In Matthew 18th chapter we have seven 
of these likenesses. The kingdom of heaven is like a 
sower ; like a man sowing seed in his field ; like a grain 
of mustard seed; like leaven; like treasure hid in a 
field; like a merchant man seeking goodly pearls; like 
unto a net. With all these realities the people were ac- 
quainted; but with the kingdom of God, which was not 
then a reality, the people were not acquainted. And 
these parables were intended to give them the best idea 
possible concerning it. 

But the likeness is not complete in any of the forty- 
eight instances. Each one illustrated at least one fea- 
ture of the on coming kingdom, sometimes indirectly a 
few others ; but in several particulars in each there was 
no likeness ; there were, indeed, marked points of un- 
likeness. "All flesh is as grass," but not in all respects. 
The grass soon withers and dies, so does all flesh. This, 
then, is the point of likeness here. The grain of must- 
ard seed was like the kingdom in its smallness and its 
rapid growth to large proportions. But the kingdom 
is not like a grain of mustard seed (1) in being round ; 
(2) in being decaying; (3) in being, pungent. The king- 
dom of heaven is not now like a grain of mustard seed 
at all. Certainly it is not iioav small like a grain of 
mustard seed ; nor is it so rapidly growing. Hence, we 
must consider the time and circumstances of all these 
great lessons, what icas, and what is. Jesus is like the 
lord of the unjust steward in commending a prepara- 



120 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

tion for the future ; not in any thing unjust. The treas- 
ure hid in the field, and the merchant man seeking good- 
ly pearls illustrate the value of the kingdom. They 
sold all they had to secure that pearl, that goodly treas- 
ure; and never made so good a bargain before. It cost 
them all they had, but it gave them all they needed. It 
is surely wise to exchange all one has of earthly riches 
for all he can ever need of heavenly riches. The point 
of likeness in the parable of the net is, the final separa- 
tion of the good and bad fish, or the righteous and wick- 
ed. The parable of the leaven shows the permeating 
nature of the heavenly kingdom and its teaching. It 
" leavens the whole mass." In the parable of the sow- 
er, the principal point is, the importance of good and 
honest hearts; illustrated by good ground. The way 
side, the stony ground and the thorny ground brought 
no fruit to perfection, though the same seeds were sown 
there, and the same sunshine, showers and breezes were 
upon these that were on the good ground. The failure 
is accounted for entirely by the conditions of the ground. 
There are, perhaps, some other points of likeness, as 
the hard heart, by the wayside ; the stony ground, the 
lack of understanding; the thorny ground, the cares 
of the world, the deceitful ness of riches, etc. But 
these are secondary, and not so plain. Hence, 

Rule first. — While observing the rides for understand- 
ing unfigurative language, determine, by the context, princi- 
pal point of analogy in each parable. 

EXEMPLIFICATIONS. 

Ill the three parables, Luke 15th chapter, the lost 
sheep, the lost piece of money, and the prodigal son, 
the object was, the vindication, or justification of the 
Savior in receiving sinners, which the scribes and Phar- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 121 

isees complained of. They show, also, the kindness of 
the father, the unkindness of the older brother, and the 
extreme folly and inconsistency of the Jews in their 
complaints. 

2. In Rom. ix : 20, 21; Isa. lxiv : 8; Jer. xviii : 6-10, 
we have the potter and the clay. The Lord is the pot- 
ter, and the sinner is the clay. A preacher, who be- 
lieved in total depravity, unconditional foreordi nation 
and election, and the utter inability of man to do any 
thing towards his own salvation, said, " why, here the 
sinner is the clay; can clay do any thing?" And his 
manner showed that he really thought that forever set- 
tled the question ! Notice that God is as distinctly com- 
pared to the potter as the sinner is to the clay. Is God 
altogether like the potter ? Is he frail, erring and dy- 
ing? Of course not. Then the sinner is not altogether 
like the clay. God is like the potter in that he is the 
workman. The sinner is like the clay in that he is the 
material worked. The workman can make of any lump 
of clay a good or bad vessel, as he chooses, or wills. 
Is there then any way by which man can control the 
divine will, and so cause God to make of him a 
good vessel? No man can carefully read Jeremiah 
xviii : 1-10, and not see that this question is there an- 
swered. When God is about to make a man a good 
vessel, if he rebel, the workman makes him another ves- 
sel, " as it seems good to the potter to make him." And 
when he is about to make a bad vessel, if he repent, he 
turns and makes him a good vessel. Each one has, 
therefore, his own destiny in his own hands. Accord- 
ingly Paul says, 2 Tim. ii : 20, 21 : " But in a great house 
there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of 
wood and earth ; and some to honor and some to dis- 
honor. If a man, therefore, purge himself from these, 



122 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

he shall be a vessel unto honor," etc. " If a man purge 
himself from these," vessels of dishonor, i. e., if he re- 
pents and turns to God, God will yet make him a good 
vessel. Every man may then be a good vessel if he " is 
willing and obedient." The point illustrated is, the su- 
premacy of God, and the dependence of man. But, 
while God is altogether supreme, and man is entirely 
dependent, the Great workman would make good ves- 
sels of every son and daughter of Adam, if they did not 
rebel against him. He is the true Master Workman, 
and holds us all in his hand. How happily it is said, 
"he delights not in the death of him who dieth, but 
rather that he repent and live ! " Do not say that he 
would make a bad vessel of one soul, made originally in 
his own image ! He wept over their folly ! He died to 
save them, and will save all who are not " stubborn and 
rebellious," after all his forbearance, warnings and mer- 
cies ! " He waits to be gracious," not willing that any 
should perish, but that all should turn and live ! " 

3. In Matt, xxii : 1-14, the king's wedding feast, the 
Teacher does not say his kingdom is like every mar- 
riage feast. Far from it. It is like one well provided 
and ready, when the people invited would not come. 
This is the point of likeness : the extreme folly of refus- 
ing to come, and the evils that must follow. A second- 
ary point seems to be, the manner in which we come. 
The man found without the wedding garment was cast 
out, unceremoniously, into outer, or utter darkness. He 
had shown disrespect for the king's house by coming 
without the wedding garment. If we attempt to come, 
we must come in the king's way, and with the king's re- 
quirements. But this man was as literally in the king's 
dining room as were the other guests. It may thence 
be argued that men may get into the church without the 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 123 

wedding garment. They are, in that case, bastards. 
"But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all [sons] 
are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons." Heb. 
xii : 8. These bastards are really in the family, but God 
is not their father. And, like the bad fish in the net, they 
are to be thrown away. Matt, xiii: 47-49. The king- 
dom was and is like a drag-net. It gathers of ev- 
ery kind, but in the judgment the bad are all cast away. 
The church has bad fish, bastards, unworthy guests or 
members; but in the judgment they will be cast out. 
In Rev. xix : 7, 8, we have the great marriage supper of 
the Lamb, the anti-type of the king's marriage feast, 
Matthew xxii. The church is the bride, the Lamb's 
wife. "And to her it was granted that she should be 
arrayed in tine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen 
is the righteousness [the righteous acts] of the saints." 
Verse 8. " The righteous acts of the saints ; " not the 
righteousness of Christ imputed to us, as Calvinists and 
others say. This reading is too plain to admit of mis- 
take. This man really in the king's dining room, the 
bastards really in the family, and the bad fish really in 
the net, certainly prove that people may be really in the 
church, and be like the bastards, bad fish, and the man 
without the wedding garment, i.e., without pure hearts 
and lives ; right acts towards God and man ; which are 
the final " fine linen, wedding garments of the bride, 
the Lamb's wife." But if a change of heart were the 
entrance into the church and the new birth, the birth of 
the Spirit, then we should never catch any bad fish, or 
bastards, and no unworthy guests could ever enter the 
king's dining room. For, however bad they were the 
moment before, the entrance, if it were the change of 
heart, would make them good fish, real sons and worthy 
guests ! This, however contrary to our former ideas, 



124 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

seems indisputable. It follows, then, that the way of 
entrance into the net, into the family, into the king's 
dining room, and into the church, is an external and 
bodily act, which a hypocrite can perform. Otherwise, 
hypocrites could never enter ; and these bad people were 
as really in as were the worthy ones. As a foreigner 
can take the oath of abjuration and naturalization, and 
so become a citizen of our government, when his heart is 
in his father-land, and he is loyal only to that land, so 
one may confess Christ, (this is abjuration of Satan and 
sin,) and be baptized, (the oath of allegiance to the King 
eternal,) when his heart is not in the divine service. He 
is, then, a bad fish in the net, a bastard in the family, 
and an unworthy guest at the king's marriage feast, a 
hypocrite in the church. But he is in. This is the point 
of analogy in these parables. After entering, with all 
due preparation, one may become an unworthy citizen, 
and a hypocritical church member ; but entrance is the 
point of likeness secondarily illustrated in the feast for 
the marriage of the king's son. We must enter pre- 
pared, and live prepared, "keeping our garments unspot- 
ted from the world," or we will not have on the wedding 
garment at the great marriage feast, the grand anti-type 
of all earthly feasts and honors. First. — We must come. 
"They would not come,'' and should never taste of the 
king's supper. Second. — They must come prepared, and 
live prepared, i. e., according to the King's law, or never 
profit by all the rich provisions of the gospel. These 
are the points of likeness, as appears by the connection 
and circumstances. 

4. In Luke xviii : 10-14, we have the publican and 
the Pharisee ; one stood and prayed, with much phari- 
saical self-importance, " thanking God that he was not as 
other men, or even as this publican," while the poor publi- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 125 

can " standing a far off, would not lift up so much as 
his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast saying, 
God, be merciful to me, a sinner." Here, the single 
point of illustration is, the importance of humility and 
purity of heart. This is plain from the entire context 
and the circumstances. Without this humility and pu- 
rity of heart, no prayer will avail, no worship will be ac- 
cepted. This was the lack in the unworthy guest, the 
bastard and the bad fish. The attitude of the body is 
no more under consideration here than was the justice of 
the unjust steward, Luke xvi. The single point there 
illustrated is, the wisdom of preparing for the future. 
Verse 8, " He commended or approved the unjust stew- 
ard, because he had done wisely," not because he had 
acted unjustly toward his lord. How absurd to pretend, 
as haters of the Bible do, that God approved injustice. 
The only point of analogy was and is the wisdom of 
preparing for the future, which sinners are not doing. 
Hence their folly. Matt, vii: 26. And just as absurd 
is it to claim the erect bodily posture for prayer from 
Luke xviii: 10-14. The bodily attitude is not the point 
of analogy. It is manifestly the humility of heart; yet, 
if the bodily attitude was a point of analogy, it would 
utterly fail to prove the erect bodily attitude for prayer, 
which is that which it is summoned to prove ; for, the 
fact that the publican stood, is no proof that he stood 
erect. It was the prevailing custom "to bow with their 
faces towards the ground." And 'they often stood for 
hours on their knees, as thousands do now, before idols. 
Besides, the publican evidently bowed. He felt hum- 
bJed, and "would not so much as lift up his eyes to 
heaven." Bowed low towards the earth, not daring to 
look up, he smote on his breast, and confessed that he 
was a sinner! How different from the proud Pharisee. 



126 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

No wonder the poor and humble publican " went down 
justified rather than the other." 

Blair's Rhetoric cautions the student against mak- 
ing "figures run on all-fours." He who pretends to 
find points of likeness where there are none, gets into 
the brush, and wounds himself with briers and thorns. 
Many striking examples might here be given. These 
may suffice to show the importance of finding, by the 
context, the points of likeness, and not insisting on oth- 
er points, or urging points clearly not analogous. When 
we have the point or points of likeness we are safe, if 
we investigate these points carefully 






CHAPTER XI. 

Figures Founded on Facts. Second Rule ; Figures and Facts ; Ex- 
emplifications ; how to find the literal meaning ; the steward, 
Luke xvi ; rich man and Lazarus ; meaning of the facts stated ; 
lessons taught ; shadows and substances; Third Rule; must har- 
monize figures with literal teaching ; various exemplifications and 
expositions of Scriptures ; parable of the tares, Matt, xiii ; with- 
drawing from the incorrigible ; Rule Fourth ; all have one lead- 
ing point of likeness ; exemplifications and expositions of many 
passages ; how to determine when language is figurative ; three 
rules for this ; Ernesti, Campbell ; observing the context ; scope, 
analogy of Scripture; many passages explained; little children 
brought to the Savior ; analogy of faith ; allegorical language ; sym- 
bolic and mystical action. 

Second Rule. — Figures are founded on real or supposed 
facts, and have a meaning as real and literal as the facts them- 
selves. 

It is important to understand this. For how common 
it is to hear persons say, in answer to testimony they can- 
not otherwise dispose of, " that is figurative language !" 
And they seem to think that this fact, if it is a fact, is 
entirely sufficient to destroy its force ! ,For all correct 
figures there is a solid foundation in facts; and then 
there is meaning in them as real and important as in lit- 
eral language. 

EXEMPLIFICATIONS. 

As to the foundation ; Were there not literal vineyards, 
sheep-folds and shepherds, seed-sowing, wedding feasts, 
tares or darnel coming up with the wheat, wise and fool- 
ish virgins, armies, armor, weapons, commanders, and 
soldiers ? Were there not literal prodigal sons, lost 
pieces of money, and sheep straying from the fold ? 

(127) 



128 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

Were there not literal vines and orchards, with fruitless 
branches and trees ? Were there not fish-nets, the catch- 
ing of bad and good fish, and their separation on the 
shore? Were there not rich and proud men, and poor 
and humble men, like the rich man and Lazarus ? Was 
there not literal leaven, and did not women then as now 
put leaven into the meal or flour to leaven it? Where 
is one of the parables of the Savior that has not a real 
fact for its foundation ? 

As to the meaning of each parable : Was not the effect of 
the leaven as real as the leaven itself? Did not owners 
of vineyards hire laborers in their vineyards, and pay 
them their hire ? Did not vine-dressers and orchardists 
cultivate their vines and trees, and remove the barren 
trees and branches ? And so of all the others ? If these 
Bible figures had a real foundation and a real meaning 
and purpose, let us inquire as to their meaning and pur- 
pose. When we get these we will have the literal of the 
figures. This will be reducing the figurative to the lit- 
eral. 

1. In Luke, 16th chapter, we have the parable of the 
unjust steward, to impress the disciples with their re- 
sponsibility and danger ; and it is applied to them with 
great plainness and force from the ninth to the thirteenth 
verse. Then verse 14 says : "And the Pharisees also, who 
were covetous, heard all these things ; and they derided 
him." From 15 to 18, Jesus replies directly to these proud, 
deriding Pharisees ; and then gives the case of the rich 
man and Lazarus from the 19th to the 31st verse. Read 
carefully, for there never was and cannot be a more em- 
phatic historic record of matters of fact : 

" There was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and 
fine linen, faring sumptuously every day ; and a certain beggar named 
Lazarus was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 129 

the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table ; yea, even the dogs 
came, and licked his sores. And it came to pass that the beggar died, 
and that he was carried away by the angels into Abraham's bosom ; and 
the rich man also died, and was buried. And in hades he lifted up 
his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar ofi', and Lazarus 
in his bosom. And he cried, and said, Father Abraham, have mercy 
on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his ringer in wa- 
ter, and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame. But Abra- 
ham said, Son, remember that thou, in thy life time, received thy 
good things, and Lazarus in like manner, evil things ; but now he is 
comforted, and thou art in anguish. And besides all this, between us 
and you there is a great gulf fixed, that they which would pass from 
hence to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from 
thence to us. And he said, I pray thee, therefore, father, that thou 
wouldst send him to my father's house, for I have five brethren, that 
he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of tor- 
ment. But Abraham saith : They have Moses and the prophets ; let 
them hear them. And he said, nay, Father Abraham : but if one go 
to them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, if they 
hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, if 
one rise from the dead." (R. V.) 

Note here a few things : 

1. All this is plain, historic style. The statements 
must he facts, or the narrative is false. 

2. There is nothing in the narrative contradictory, ab- 
surd, impossible, or paradoxical, to hinder us from re- 
ceiving it as true in all its parts. Observe other facts 
stated : It is not more clearly stated that " a certain king- 
made a marriage feast for his son." Was not that feast 
a literal matter of fact? It is not more clearly stated 
that " a certain man went in search of goodly pearls." 
Was not that a literal matter of fact? 

3. Parables state facts, and then the teacher compares 
the things to be taught with these facts. The facts stated 
illustrate the lesson to be taught ; as, " a man had a hun- 
dred sheep, and one of them went astray." The shep- 
herd " goes in search of it till he finds it," and then re- 

9 



130 LIVE RELIG10 US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 

joices. This fact illustrates the care and the course of 
good shepherds. 

4. The lessons taught by the Savior to the proud Phari- 
isees, in this case, are 1) the folly and vanity of earthly 
riches and pleasures ; (2) that there is a future life, where 
rewards and punishments will be just and equal; (3) that 
the dead still have a conscious existence, and " know each 
other there "; (4) that there can be no change after death ; 
(5) that there was no power equal to Moses and the proph- 
ets to bring sinners to repentance ; surely there can be 
none now equal to Christ and the apostles, though one 
came from the dead ; (6) that the wicked in torment re- 
member their friends on earth, are concerned about 
them, and would send missionaries to them if they could. 

5. All these things are presented as facts in this case, 
and they furnish a lesson nowhere else given so forcibly 
to rich and proud Pharisees. For, as it was with this rich 
man, so will it be with others who die in their sins ! And 
what an unspeakable comfort to all the poor Lazaruses 
of earth, if they are true servants of God! For their 
poverty will not save them. 

6. There is not the slightest reason for so spiritualiz- 
ing this very forcible parable as to refer it to the Jews 
and G-entiles, or to anything but the case in hand ; the 
lesson that the proud Pharisees needed, and that all the 
wicked need now to remind them of the vanity of all 
earthly things, the deceitfulness of sin, the necessity for 
listening to Moses and the prophets, to Christ and the 
apostles, and preparing for the future life. 

7. As shadows go out from substances, as from an 
erect pole in the bright sunlight, so these facts shadow 
forth unerringly the future state of the righteous and the 
wicked. This is the meaning and this the end to be ac- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 131 

complished by this narrative of the facts in the case of 
the rich man and Lazarus. 

8. While all these matters were facts, it does not fol- 
low that none of the language of the narrative is figura- 
tive. There is no reason for concluding that there was 
or is any literal flame or lire in hades, or in hell, or that 
there can be any literal water there. But there is some- 
thing there that is real and literal answering to these, 
and that is best illustrated by these. We read of a " book 
of life " in heaven, and no one supposes there is any such 
literal book there ; but there is something literal there 
which answers to a book, and is best illustrated by a 
book. We read, too, of gold-paved streets, jasper walls, 
pearly gates, etc. No one presumes these things are lit- 
eral. But these represent something real that is there. 
So of many other things. The place and its glory are 
real and eternal. The things used to illustrate these may 
not be eternal. We may find riches and glories infinite- 
ly beyond all gold and pearls. Figurative language is 
used to describe matters of fact ; as when it is said of 
Saul and Jonathan, " They are swifter than eagles; they 
are stronger than lions." The literal strength and swift- 
ness of Saul and Jonathan are illustrated by this simile. 

9. The common mistake in this case is, in concluding 
that, because there is some figurative language used in 
the narrative, as gulf, fire, flame, water, etc., there is no 
reality at all in it. The facts are real, and the meaning 
is real ; but some of the language is' figurative ; as in the 
case of Saul and Jonathan. This is true of the narra- 
tive before the death of either the rich man or Lazarus. 
" He desired to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the 
rich man's table, " we all understand does not mean sim- 
ply literal crumbs, and no more than crumbs. He de- 
sired food. " Go and tell that fox " is figurative Ian- 



132 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

guage forcibly describing Herod. Was he not a literal 
man ? So hades and its punishments are literal facts, 
though described in figurative lauguage ; i. e.. illustrated 
by literal facts used as figures or comparisons. 

Third Rule. — Figurative language must be so construed 
as to harmonize with unfigurative language that is clear and 
plain. 

EXEMPLIFICATIONS. 

However plausible the construction given of the rich 
man and Lazarus, it might be objected to if it could be 
shown to conflict with the plain, literal language of oth- 
er Scriptures. But the plain, literal language of many 
passages teach the same. Thus : 

" The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the na- 
tions that forget God." Ps. ix : 17. 

"And these shall go away into everlasting punishment; 
but the righteous into life eternal'.' Matt, xxv: 46. 

" When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven 
* * * taking vengeance on them that know not God 
and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who 
shall be punished with everlasting destruction [banish- 
ment] from the presence of the Lord," etc. 2 Thess. i : 
7-9. 

A construction different from the one given would 
bring it into conflict with these and all the numerous 
Scriptures of this class. 

The parable of the tares, Matt, xiii : 24-30, is construed 
by some so as to keep all the bad people in the church till 
the judgment! They quote verse 30: "Let both grow 
together till harvest," the end of the world. But this 
plainly conflicts with various passages ordering the 
church to put such away ; as 1 Cor. v : 5, " to deliver such 
an one to Satan," etc. ; and " Now we command you, 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 133 

brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye 
withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh 
disorderly." 2 Thess. iii : 6; " If any man obey not our 
word by this epistle, note that man, and have no compa- 
ny with him, that he may be ashamed." 2 Thess. iii : 14. 
And when we look at the parable of the tares again, 
and read the Savior's explanation of it, we at once see its 
beautiful harmony with these and all other Scriptures. 
See Matt, xiii : 38, where Jesus says : " The field is the 
world," not the church. This parable has reference to 
the territory of the kingdom, and hence is as wide as the 
world ; and when Jesus said, " Let both grow together 
until harvest," etc., he simply forbade the use of carnal 
weapons to spread his gospel. If the people of the world 
will not accept of it, let them alone till the judgment. 
Do not try to root up and destroy the tares, lest you de- 
stroy the wheat also. " Vengeance is mine ; I will repay, 
saith the Lord." But he commands withdrawing fel- 
lowship from unfaithful church members. 

Fourth Rule. — All parables, tropes, similes, metaphors, 
etc., have one jiarticular point of analogy ; often but one ; and 
all other seeming points of analogy are secondary, and gener- 
ally less clear and forcible. 

EXEMPLIFICATIONS. 

"All flesh is as grass." 1 Pet. i : 24. "As the flower 
of the grass he shall pass away." Jas. i : 10. This last 
clause gives the point of likeness ; "he shall pass away." 
There is no other point of likeness. What would be 
thought of one who would claim that the likeness here 
was in the color, shape, or size of the grass ? 

In Matt, xiii : 44-47, we have the parable of the treas- 
ure hid in a field, and of a merchant man seeking goodly 
pearls. These present a single point of likeless, the value 



134 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

of the kingdom. It is wise to secure it, if to do so we 
must sell all we have, owing to its real value. 

Some narratives, like that of the rich man and Laza- 
rus, Luke 16, and the young man who called on the Sav- 
ior, Matt, xix : 16-26, give us several points of likeness, 
but beyond the first they are not generally so clear. 
Many other exemplifications might be given here. 

HOW TO DETERMINE WHEN LANGUAGE IS FIGURATIVE. 

President Campbell, after showing how to determine 
the meaning of words and figures, says : "A more diffi- 
cult lesson is yet to be learned with respect to figurative 
language, and that is to know certainly when it is figu- 
rative, or to be understood figuratively." If we con- 
strue unfigurative language as tropical we make utter 
confusion and uncertainty. And if we take figurative 
language to be literal, we render it practically impossi- 
ble, and otherwise absurd. Hence he makes out, from 
Ernesti and Moms, the following rules : 

"The literal meaning is not to be deserted without evident reason 
or necessity. But this necessity occurs in the following cases : 

First. When the literal meaning involves an impropriety or an iin- 
possibilitv; such as Isa. i: 25. "I will purge away thy dross, and 
take away all thy tin." This applied to the Jews would be literally 
impossible. ' I have made thee [Jeremiah] a defenced city, an iron 
pillar, and brazen walls, against the whole land.' This, again, would 
literally involve an impossibility, and must therefore be taken figura- 
tively. 

" Second. The literal must be given up, if the predicate (or that 
which is affirmed) be incompatible with or contrary to the subject of 
which it is affirmed. ' Hear this word, you kine of Bashan, that 
are on the mountains of Samaria, that oppress the poor and crush the 
needy ; that say to their masters bring, and let us drink.' Amosiv: 1. 
Now if the subject, viz., the kine of Bashan, be understood literally 
of cattle, the predicates to oppress, crush, and slay, cannot possibly ap- 
ply to it; but taken figuratively, of the luxurious matrons of Samaria, 
they do apply and make good sense. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 135 

" Third. When the literal meaning of words is contrary, either to 
common sense, to the context, to parallel passages, or to the scope of 
a passage, it must be given up. 'Awake, why steepest thou? Steepest 
cannot literally apply to God; for David, who thus speaks, Ps. xliv 
23, says in another psalm, ' He that keeps Israel does not sleep.' In 
Isa. xliv, ' filth of the daughter of Zion,' from the scope of the pas- 
sage, which immediately speaks of the blood of Jerusalem, must be 
understood figuratively. ' To change night into day ' is a moral im- 
possibility ; therefore Job xvii: 12 must be taken tropically." 

It may be better to give also what Ernesti and Stew- 
art, of Andover, say on this point, thus : 

" We may commonly understand at once, whether a word is to be 
understood tropically or not, by simply examining the object spoken 
of, either by the external or internal senses, or by renewing the per- 
ception of the object. To judge of figurative language in such cases 
is very easy ; and, in uninspired writings, it very rarely happens that 
there is any doubt about it ; because the objects spoken of are such 
as may be examined by our senses, external or internal, and there- 
fore it may easily be understood. 

" In the Scriptures, however, doubts have frequently arisen from 
the nature of the subjects there treated ; which are such as cannot be 
subjected to the examination of our senses. Thus, the divine nature, 
divine operations, etc., are subjects beyond the scrutiny of our senses; 
and the question whether the language that respects such things is to 
be understood literally or tropically has given rise to fierce contro- 
versies, which are still continued. * * * 

" To the language which respects God and his operations may be 
added, all that respects the invisible things of a future state, i. e., 
heaven, hell, etc. The controversy whether descriptions of this nat- 
ure are to be literally or tropically understood is by no means at an 
end. One of the things which the human mind learns very slowly is, 
to detach itself from conceptions that arise from material objects, and 
to perceive that in all descriptions of a future state words are of ab- 
solute necessity used which originally have' a literal sense, because lan- 
guage affords no other. Even the internal operations of our mind, we 
are obliged for the same reason„to describe in language that of neces- 
sity must be tropically understood. Almost all men, indeed, now al- 
low that most of the language employed to describe God and his op- 
erations is necessarily to be understood as tropical. Most men will 
allow that the language which respects the heavenly world may be so 
considered ; but what regards the day of judgment or the world of 



136 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

woe, they would strenuously contend must be literally understood. 
There is indeed, sufficient inconsistency in this, and it betrays no 
small degree of unacquaintance with the nature and principles of in- 
terpretation ; but as it is productive of no consequences especially 
bad, the error is hardly worth combatting. The motive no doubt 
may be good that leads to the adoption of this error. The apprehen- 
sion is, that if you construe the language that respects the day of 
judgment or the world of woe, figuratively, you take away the reality 
of them. Just as if reality did not, of course, lie at the basis of all 
figurative language, which would be wholly devoid of meaning with- 
out it. But how inconsistent, too, is this objection ! The very per- 
son who makes it admits that the language employed to describe God 
and his operations, and also to describe the heavenly world, is tropi- 
cal, and that it must of necessity be construed so. But does this de- 
stroy the reality of God and his operations, and of the heavenly world ? 
" Who is ignorant of the innumerable controversies that have arisen 
about the tropical and literal sense of a multitude of passages in the 
sacred writings ? Almost all the enthusiasm and extravagance that 
have been exhibited in respect'to religion have had no better support 
than gross material conceptions of figurative language ; or, not un- 
frequently, language that should be properly understood, has been 
tropically construed. There is no end to the mistakes on this ground. 
Nor are they limited to enthusiasts and fanatics. They develop 
themselves not un frequently in the writings of men, grave, pious 
excellent, and in other parts of theological science, very learned. In- 
deed, it is but a recent thing that it has come to be considered as a 
science, and a special and essential branch of theological science, to 
study the nature of language, and above all, the nature of the orien- 
tal biblical languages. Long has this been admitted as respects the 
classics, and all works of science in ancient languages. But in regard 
to the Bible, the most ancient book in the world, and written in a lan- 
guage the idiom of which is exceedingly diverse from our own, it 
seems to have been very generally taken for granted that, no other 
study was necessary to discover its meaning than what is devoted to 
any common English book. At least, a Bible with marginal refer- 
ences, studied by a diligent and careful use of these references, might 
surely be understood in a most satisfactory manner. In very many 
cases the first thing has been, to study theology ; the second, to read 
the Bible, in order to find proofs of what had already been adopted as 
matter of belief. This order is now beginning to be reversed. The 
nature of language, of Scripture language, of figurative language, and 
of interpretations, is now beginning to be studied as a science, the ac- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 137 

quisition of which is one of the greatest ends of study ; as it is the 
only proper mode of leading a theologian to a knowledge of what the 
Bible really contains. Here, too, is a common arbiter of the disputes 
that exist in the Christian world. The nature of language, and of 
tropical words thoroughly understood, will remove from all intelli- 
gent and candid men, who really, love the truth, a great part of all the 
diversities of opinion that exist." 

These learned authors do not exaggerate the difficult- 
ies in understanding the language and the figures of the 
Bible, or the necessity for rules and extensive investiga- 
tion ; nor do they over estimate the importance of this 
attainment when they say, " The nature of language and 
of tropical words thoroughly understood will remove 
* * * a great part of all the diversities of opinion 
that exist." They might have added that, nothing else 
can ever remove these diversities of opinion, or heal the 
divisions that have grown out of them. The importance 
of this knowledge is therefore apparent. Nothing can 
take its place or do its work. The reader should, conse- 
quently, be patient with these somewhat tedious rules 
and principles of investigation, and be as thorough as 
possible in his investigations. 

When we have decided that a word or passage of 
Scripture is to be understood figuratively, the next point 
is to interpret the metaphor by corresponding and appro- 
priate terms. To do this, in addition to what has been 
said on the subject, let us for a moment hear the learned 
Home. He says that in doing this: "We must inquire 
in what respects the thing compared, and that with 
which it is compared, respectively agree; and also in 
what respects they have any affinity or resemblance ; 
for as a similitude is concealed in every metaphor, it is 
only by diligent study that it can be elicited ; by care- 
fully observing the points of agreement between the 
proper and the figurative meaning." To have the con- 



138 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

trast properly before us, we should notice carefully the 
points of disagreement. This contrast will give the lit- 
eral of the figure, the lesson taught. 

And the proverbs and figures drawn from the ancients 
must be considered historically. That is, the age of the 
world, the character of the people, the place and circum- 
stances must all be considered. In the region of the 
trade winds a man of uniform habits is said to be " as 
steady as the wind." With us, an inconstant man is 
said to be " as fickle as the wind." The metaphors are rec- 
onciled by observing the history of the winds where these 
figures are used. Jesus said the kingdom of heaven was 
like a mustard seed, and so it was at first. It is not now, 
and never will be again. He said, also, of the " strait 
and narrow way'" " few there be that find it." This, too, 
was strictly true then. It is by no means true now ; and 
it never will be true again in any future age. 

Fourth Rule. The Context. — In very difficult passages 
we should more carefully observe the context. 

The habit of isolating words and phrases, so common 
in the early part of this century, was a great barrier to 
Bible knowledge. A man took the word "malt" for a 
text, and with no reference to the context, made his ser- 
mon on m-a-l-t. It had much more fun than gospel in it. 
One class of people can see almost their entire system in 
the word " sanctify," or " sanctification." They not only 
do not look to the context, but misunderstand the mean- 
ing of the word. Another class see "baptize "in the 
word " sprinkle " wherever it occurs. Several times in 
debate, we have heard Ekek. xxxvi : 25 quoted to prove 
baptism, and that sprinkling was baptism. Here, too, 
is an overlooking or mistake as to the meaning of the 
word " sprinkle," and an entire disregard of the context 
and circumstance which appear in the context. In Num. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 139 

xix : the holy water is given, and its use, to cleanse; and 
it was never sprinkled on the clean, hut always on the 
unclean, "to cleanse them." And the Jews were at the 
time Ezekiel wrote this lesson in bondage to their ene- 
mies, on account of their sins. Ezekiel was one of the 
captives, and wrote this there by the river Keeber, giv- 
ing a promise from God that he would restore them to 
their own land. And then would he sprinkle this holy 
water upon them to cleanse them. This, when under- 
stood, makes it very plain. But to isolate " sprinkle " 
here is to leap in the dark, and to fall into the ditch. 
One of the learned writers who has already given us 
some good lessons, says : 

'•Another most important assistance for investigating the meaning 
of words and phrases is the consideration of the context, or the com- 
parison of the preceding and subsequent parts of a discourse. If we 
analyze the words of an author, and take them out of their proper se- 
ries, they may be so distorted as to mean an thing but what he intend- 
ed to express. Since, therefore, words have several meanings, and conse- 
quently are to be taken in various acceptations, a careful considera. 
tion of the preceding and subsequent parts will enable us to deter- 
mine that signification, whether literal or figurative, which is best 
adapted to the passage in question. 

" To investigate the context of a passage, it will be desirable to in- 
vestigate each word of every passage ; and as the connection is formed 
by particles, these should always receive that signification which the 
subject matter and context require." 

THE SCOPE OF A PASSAGE OR BOOK. 

A very learned author, just at hand, gives six rules for 
determing the scope of a passage or book. All these 
are well included in our other rules and examples, and 
need not be detailed here. 

ANALOGY OF SCRIPTURE. 

By this is meant the parallel passages. It is not in- 
tended to assert that any two words are exact synonyms; 



140 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

still it cannot be denied that many words are analagous. 
Some of tliem mean almost precisely the same. To say 
the least, many passages and books are very much, like 
others : they are analagous. This is true of Matthew, 
Mark, Luke, and John. Still they are not precisely 
alike in all respects. They never conflict, but one is 
fuller at one point ; another is fuller at a different point. 
The analogy of Scripture requires us to consider togeth- 
er, connectedly, all the Scriptures on the same subject. 
No one can understand the birth, life, miracles, death, 
and resurrection of the Savior so well from reading 
Matthew alone. We need to study the other biographies 
also. No one can so well understand a subject from the 
study of it as it is presented in a single passage as he 
can by studying all the analagous or parallel passages. 

EXEMPLIFICATIONS. 

Matt, xix : 23 says: "A rich man shall hardly enter 
into the kingdom of heaven." 

Mark x : 23 says: " How hardly shall they that have 
riches enter into the kingdom of God." 

Luke xviii: 24 says: " How hardly shall they that 
have riches enter into the kingdom of God." 

Matt, xix: 24 says: "It is easier for a camel to go 
through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to en- 
ter the kingdom of God." 

Mark x : 24 says : " How hard it is for them that trust 
in riches to enter the kingdom of God." 

Now, with all these analogous narratives before us, 
can we not better understand the clanger of riches than 
we could from any one of them ? Studying them all, 
we conclude, 

1. They all teach the same ; they do not conflict. 
L 2. Therefore (I) a rich man ; (2) they that have riches ; 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 141 

(3) they that trust in riches, all mean substantially the 
same. The rich are they that have riches, and the man- 
ifest reason why it is dangerous to have riches, or be rich, 
is, " where your treasure is there will your heart be 
also ;" that is, you are almost sure to love and trust in 
riches if you have them. And this is made more plain 
by other analogous Scriptures ; as, Matt, xiii : 22 ; Mark 
iv: 19. "The cares of the world, and the deceit-fulness 
of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, 
choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful." Luke 
viii : 14 says they " are choked with the cares and riches 
and pleasures of this life." 

Paul, in 1 Tim. vi : 9, sa}'s : " They that will be rich, 
(the improved and correct rendering is, those who wish 
to be rich) fall into temptation and a snare, and into 
many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in de- 
struction and perdition." lie does not say there is dan- 
ger, or a tendency to fall into these ruinous errors and sins ; 
he says they do this, and he does not make any excep- 
tion. Often have we all heard men say, with a dry and 
meaning smile at this point, " Well, may be so, but we 
would like very much to risk it." This shows how weak 
their faith in Christ is, how blindingly strong their love 
of money is, and how very little they know of them- 
selves and the deceitfulness and danger of riches ! 

LITTLE CHILDREN ARE BROUGHT TO THE SAVIOR. 

Matt, xix : 13-15 says " that he might put his hands 
on them and pray ; " " and he laid his hands on them." 
Mark x : 13 says "that he might touch them." 
Luke xviii: 15 says "that he would touch them." 
jS"ow, if the object in carrying the children to Jesus 
was not given, or anywhere alluded to, it would be 
wholly conjectural. JS~o one would have a right to say 



142 LIVE RELIGIO US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 

what it was — baptism, healing them, or making them 
great people when grown up. But the object is distinct- 
ly stated, and these several passages make it most clear. 
This was according to a well-established patriarchal cus- 
tom and faith, that wise and godly men could cause a 
blessing to come on children by laying their hands on 
them. Hence, Jacob laid his hands on Ephraim and 
Manasseh, and on his own sons near his death, etc. How 
wonderfully wrong to build a custom on children being 
brought to the Savior that is not only not mentioned or 
alluded to, but is contrary to the reason clearly men- 
tioned ! And Jesus says, as a reason for permitting the 
little children brought to him, " Of such is the kingdom 
of God." Luke xviii : 16, 17 ; and " verily I say unto 
you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as 
a little child shall in no wise enter therein." Here is a 
parable, a comparison. Little innocent children are com- 
pared to the right condition of heart for entering the 
kingdom. "Wherein is the point of likeness ? Certain- 
ly not in their size, age, or avoirdupois. Little children 
are morally pure and entirely innocent, and feel their de 
pendence on a stronger arm. They are not guilty of 
Adam's sin, or of any other sin. No law was ever given 
to infantile innocence. They have transgressed no law, 
and therefore cannot be sinners. They are the best rep- 
resentatives of the moral purity, of heavenly dwellers 
that the earth affords. The lamb is the emblem of in- 
nocence ; and Jesus is u the Lamb of God who takes 
away the sin of the world." Little children are, by uni- 
versal habit, called lambs, because they represent entire 
innocence and purity. To be thus morally pure is the 
preparation for entering the kingdom. It is not being 
in it, but the preparation for entering it. What a beau- 
tiful point of analogy ! To those aspiring to greatness 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 143 

among men, Jesus, calling a little child, said: "Except 
ye be converted and become as little children, ye cannot 
enter the kingdom of heaven; " those thus humbled are 
" the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matt, xviii : 
1-4. And very young persons were believers in Jesus, 
not infants, as in the other cases; and hence this notice. 
See Matt, xviii : 6. " Whoso shall offend one of these 
little ones which believe in me, it were better for him 
that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck and that 
he were drowned in the depths of the sea." Mark ix : 
42 ; Luke xvii : 2. Here, though the language is some- 
what analogous, the meaning is different. The point 
here made is, the sacredness of Christian feeling, even 
of the humblest believer in Jesus. What must be the 
terrible fate of those church rulers who, for the sake of 
a humanism not necessary to the worship, will offend 
both the weak and the strong believers in Christ ! For 
their simple preference they cast them out, as did Dio- 
trephes of old! 3 John 10. 

Reference Bibles are valuable in finding analogous 
passages, but it should be remembered that they are far 
from being exhaustive ; and that many of their refer- 
ences are incorrect ; L e., not analogous. Many persons 
take for granted that they are both complete and relia- 
ble, and are led far astray. Cruden's large Concordance 
is good, and Young's Analytical Concordance is better. 

HUMAN ANALOGIES OF FAITH. 

Humanly-devised systems of theology have much to 
say of the "Analogy of Faith. Dr. G. Campbell says 
that with every sect " the analogy of faith " is their own 
system alone." Then he adds: "In vain do we search 
the Scriptures for their testimony concerning Christ, if, 
independently of these testimonies, we have received a 



144 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

testimony from another quarter, and are determined to 
admit nothing, as the testimony of the Scriptures, which 
will not perfectly quadrate with that formerly received. 
This was the very blindness of the Jews in our Savior's 
time. They searched the Scriptures as much as we do ; 
but in the disposition they were in, they could never have 
discovered what that sacred volume testifies of Christ. 
Why? Because their great rule of interpretation was 
' the analogy of faith ;' or, in other words, the system of 
the Pharisean scribes, the doctrine then in vogue, and in 
the profound veneration of which they had been edu- 
cated. This is that veil by which the understandings of 
that people were darkened, even in reading the law ; of 
which the apostle observed that it ' remained unremoved 
in his day,' and of which we ourselves have occasion to 
observe, that it remains unremoved in ours." 

"When a Lutheran tells you, 'you are to put no inter- 
pretation on any portion of Scripture but what perfectly 
coincides with ' the analogy of the faith,' sift him ever 
so little on the import of this phrase, and you will find 
that, if he mean anything, it is that you are to admit no 
expositions that will not exactly tally with the system of 
his great founder, Luther. Nor is he singular in this. 
A Calvinist has the same pre-possession in favor of the 
scheme of Calvin, and an Arminian of that of Arminius. 
Yet they will all tell you with one voice, that their re- 
spective doctrines are to be tried by Scripture, and by 
Scripture alone. < To the law and to the testimony,' is 
the common cry ; only every one of them, the better to 
secure the decision on the side he has espoused, would 
have you previously resolve, to put no sense whatever on 
the law and the testimony, but what his favorite doctor 
will admit. Thus they run on in a shuffling circular sort 
of argument, which, though they studiously avoid ex- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES' OF THE DAY. 145 

posing it, is, when dragged into the open light, neither 
more nor less than this : ' You are to try our doctrine by 
the Scriptures only. But then you are to be very care- 
ful that you explain the Scriptures solely according 
to our doctrine.' A wonderful plan of trial, which be- 
gins with giving judgment, and ends with examining the 
proof, wherein the whole skill and ingenuity of the 
judges are to be exerted in wresting the evidence, so as 
to give it the appearance of supporting the sentence pro- 
nounced beforehand." 

There is a complete harmony in all the Holy Script- 
ures, and therefore " the whole system of revelation must 
be explained, so as to be consistent with itself. When 
two passages seem to be contradictory, if the sense of 
the one can be clearly ascertained, in all such cases, that 
must regulate our interpretation of the other." Thus, 
" If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and 
the truth is not in us." 1 John i : 8. This is equal to 
saying : If we say we never sin, etc. And this was ad- 
dressed to all the Christians in the world, A.D. 90. Then 
it is said : " He that committeth sin is of the devil ;" and 
"whosoever is born of Grod doth not commit sin ;" " we 
know that whatsoever is born of God sinneth not." 1 
John iii : 8, 9 ; v : 10. Here is an apparent contradic- 
tion. The first quotation expresses a truth very often 
and very clearly expressed, both in the Old and in the 
ISTew Testaments. Peter dissembled ten years after he 
was baptized in the Holy Spirit ; and Paul did not count 
himself to be perfect. He, when far advanced in life, 
" found another law in his members warring against the 
law of his mind," etc. This accords with the experience 
of others, and with Solomon's declaration that " there is 
not a just man upon the earth that liveth and sinneth 
not." The other two seem to assert that the righteous 
10 



146 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

do not sin. But the first is plain and certain, and the 
others must be construed to agree with it, or we have a 
contradiction. Look again at the two last quotations, 
consider the context; and you will readily see that the 
very common idea is the correct one, viz., that those born, 
or rather, begotten of God, do not sin habitually. They 
may sin occasionally, but it is not their habit. This 
beautifully harmonizes with the other, and with all the 
Bible on the subject. Thus, all obscure, ambiguous, and 
figurative words and sentences may be construed so as 
to harmonize with the plain and unambiguous, whether 
they agree with Luther, Calvin, or any other man or 
men. "All opinions, doctrines, and practices, which 
are founded on a single word, or a sentence or two, con- 
trary to the general scope and repeated declarations of 
the Holy Scriptures, are to be wholly repudiated. Of 
this class are ' auricular confession ' to a priest, ' extreme 
unction,' the building of the church on Peter, purgato- 
rial fire, etc., of the Roman sect." * * * But we 
have much reason for gratitude, that everything neces- 
sary to our acceptance with God, to religion and moral- 
ity, is so often repeated and so fully expressed, that no 
honest mind can possibly err, who will apply himself to 
what is written ; and, as Dr. Doddridge says, " I am more 
and more convinced, that the vulgar sense of the Kew 
Testament, that is, the sense in which an honest man of 
plain sense would take it on his first reading the original, 
or any good translation, is almost everywhere the true 
general sense of any passage ; though an acquaintance 
with language and antiquity, with an attentive medita- 
tion of the text and context, may illustrate the spirit and 
energy of a multitude of passages, in a manner which 
could not other wise be learned." See also our rule 
nine, and the exemplifications there given. 






LIVE RELIGIO US ISS UJES OF THE DA Y. 147 

ALLEGORICAL LANGUAGE. 

It is said of the allegory that, "In it one thing is ex- 
pressed, and another, entirely different from it, is meant." 
An allegory turns a true history into a symbol, and makes 
it represent another subject; as when Paul allegorized 
the history of Hagar and Ishmael, and Sarah and Isaj e, 
owing to their aptness to picture out, or represent the 
two Testaments, and the people under them. Gal. iv : 
24-31. 

The Egyptians are accredited with the invention of 
picture writing, and the allegorical style of communi- 
cating their sentiments. And MacKnight gives five 
reasons for their doin^ so. These do not much concern 
us. Nor is it, to us, a matter of importance to find 
where the Jewish prophets got this style. They had it; 
and to understand it should be our purpose. 

Learned authors tell us of four kinds of allegories : 
1. The proper allegory. t 2. The apologue, or fable. 3. 
The parable. 4. The enigma. 

The enigma, or riddle "was a mysterious assemblage 
of different symbols, set forth either in verbal discourse, 
or, by presenting the symbols themselves to the eye. 
Either way exhibited, the meaning of the assemblage 
was so dark, that it required the greatest ingenuity to 
discover it. Of the verbal enigma, Samson's riddle is 
an example." (Judges xiv : 12.) Another example is 
found Ezek. xvii: 2-11. "Of the symbolical enigma 
Herodotus has recorded a remarkable instance, Hist. 
Lib, 4. 128-130, where he tells us, that when Darius 
Hystaspes invaded Scythia, the Scythian king sent him 
a present, of a bird, a mouse, a frog, and five arrows. 
This Gobryas, one of Darius' generals, considering it as 
an enigma, interpreted it in the following way: That 
unless the Persians could fly through the air like birds. 



148 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

or hide themselves in the earth like mice, or swim 
through the lakes like frogs, they should not return to 
their own country, hut he slain by the arrows of the 
Scythians." 

"All allegories have two senses: First, the literal 
sense exhibited in the verbal description, or in the visi- 
ble symbol. Second, the remote sense concealed under 
the literal sense, or under the invisible symbol. Where- 
fore, in every allegory, the first or literal sense is itself 
the sign of the second or hidden meaning, called the 
figurative sense of the allegory. And this figurative 
sense should be as distinctly manifest by the literal sense 
of the allegory, as the literal sense is exhibited, whether 
by the verbal description, or by the visible symbol. 
Properly speaking, therefore, the first or literal sense 
constitutes the body of the allegory, and the second or 
figurative sense, its soul. In compositions of this kind, 
if rightly formed, the literal sense ought to be perfectly 
plain ; and the only exercise of one's ingenuity ought to 
be, not in understanding the literal sense, but in finding 
out its concealed meaning. See Hab. ii : 6 ; Micah ii : 4; 
Isa. xlvii; Ezek. xxix." Those wishing to study allego- 
ries will find other examples in Ezek xxxii : 2 ; xx : 46- 
49; Isa. lii : 1, 2; xxiii : 15-17; xiii: 10; Joel ii : 31, 
32, etc. Examples of the allegory set forth in dreams 
and visions are found in Gen. xli : 17; Dan. iv; Ezek i; 
iv : 28, etc. 

This style is not so common in the New Testament, 
and no more space is occupied with it than really seems 
necessary. See MacKnight on the epistles, Vol. VI: pp. 
242-245. 

SYMBOLIC OR MYSTICAL ACTION. 

In all ages and countries, and among all people, it has 
been a custom to accompany words with corresponding 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 149 

gestures and actions. This was more common when 
words were less copious and expressive, and especially 
in the east. The Scriptures abound in this, and a few 
examples will sufficiently set it forth. 

In Gen. xxiv : 2, Abraham required his servant to 
put his hand under his thigh, and swear that he would 
not take a wife for Isaac from among the Canaan ites. 
Jacob, before his death, required Joseph to put his hand 
under his thigh, and swear. Gen. xlvii : 29. On seeing 
Joseph's coat, Jacob, "rent his clothes" and mourned. 
Rending the clothes was common on such occasions, and 
always signified great grief. "When Ahab heard 
Elijah's words, he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth 
upon his flesh," etc. 1 Kings xxi: 27. These actions 
were symbolic of great distress. Ahijah caught Jero- 
boam's mantle and rent it in twelve pieces, saying, " take 
thee ten pieces," etc. 1 Kings xi: 30. Zedekiah made 
him horns of iron, and said, "thus saith the Lord, with 
these shalt thou push the Syrians," etc. 1 Kings xxii : 11. 

Elisha said to the king of Israel, "smite upon the 
ground, and he smote three times, and stayed. And the 
man of God was angry, and said, " Thou shouldest have 
smitten five or six times ; then hadst thou smitten Syria 
till thou hadst consumed it, but now thou shalt only 
smite it three times." 2 Kings xiii: 18. In this case 
the king did not understand the symbolic action. "I 
shook my lap, and said, so God shake every man out of 
his house, and from his labor, that performeth not this 
promise; even thus be he shaken out and emptied." 
Ken. v : 13. And Ezek. xxi : 6, 7, " Sigh, therefore, 
thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins, and 
with bitterness sigh before their eyes. And it shall be, 
when they say unto thee, wherefore sighest thou ? that 
thou shalt answer, for the tidings ; because it cometh, 



150 LIVE RELIG10 US ISSUES OF THE DA F. 

and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, 
and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak 
as water," etc. Acts xxi: 10, 11: "There came down 
from Jndea a certain prophet named Agabus. And 
when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and 
bound his own hands and feet, and said, thus saith the 
Holy Ghost, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the 
man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into 
the hands of the Gentiles." John xiii : 4-17: Jesus 
washed his disciples' feet, as an example for them, say- 
ing: "I have given you an example that you should do 
as I have done unto you," i. e. y " wash one another's feet." 
This action, on the part of the Savior, was worth more to 
impress humility and brotherliness than anything else he 
could have said or done. Isa. xx : 2-4 : "And the Lord 
said like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked (i. e., 
without the upper garment,) and barefoot three years 
for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia ; 
so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians 
prisoners," etc. This symbol, when explained as it was, 
must have been very impressive. Jer. xviii : 1-10 ; xix : 
1-11. Having Jeremiah to see the work of the potter 
was for him ; but breaking the potter's vessel, in the val- 
ley of the sons of Hinnom, in the presence of the elders 
of the people, and its explanation served to impress the 
elders and all the people as nothing else could. 

Jer. xxvii: 2. The Lord said to Jeremiah, "make 
thee bands and yokes, and put them on thy neck," etc. 
This was explained to mean that the Lord would cause 
all the surrounding nations to put their necks under the 
yoke of Nebuchadnezzar. And Jer. xxviii : 10, 11 : 
" Hananiah took the yoke from off the prophet Jere- 
miah's neck, and brake it, saying, even so will I brake 
the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from off 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 151 

the necks of all nations." The remainder of the chap- 
ter keeps up the symbol of a yoke. " The yoke is a 
symbol of bondage, affliction and servitude. So, in Ezek- 
iel, 4th and 5th chapters, the prophet was directed to 
take a tile, and portray the city of Jerusalem on it, etc., 
requiring him to lie on one side, to eat polluted bread, 
to shave his hair, etc., all to impress the Jews by these 
symbols, with their impending evils. 

So likewise, all men in all ages and countries, bow 
down to signify humility, reverence, supplication ; some- 
times as a token of respect, they bow their heads and 
add a salutation. Then, in worship, they bow with their 
faces to the earth, or kneel, or fall prostrate on their 
faces in times of greatest trouble and danger. This 
bodily action symbolizes reverence, submission, suppli- 
cation. Many wives and others, in our own time have 
knelt before the governor or king, before offering a 
word of supplication for the life of a friend. Satan re- 
quired Jesus to "fall down and worship him," if he 
would gain his wealth; because this bodily act symbol- 
ized inferiority and submission. So, too, we have in 
the Lord's Supper and baptism, most forcible symbols 
of death, burial and resurrection from the dead. Thus 
symbolic action is continued in the church ; and Paul 
tells the disciples at Rome to present their bodies living 
sacrifices before God. Rom. xii : 1-3, 



CHAPTER XII. 

Figures Continued.— Etymological meaning— types and anti-types— 
five important items noted; Deliverance of Israel — the leading 
facts— nature of their bondage— their numbers in Egypt— how 
they came to believe in Moses; three facts as to the relation of 
testimony to faith; the character of the miracles wrought— true 
and false miracles ; effect of their faith in Moses— not saved when 
they believed— passing through the sea— what Paul calls their 
baptism unto Moses — five facts noted ; when they were saved ; 
Israel in the wilderness ; four other facts, and their crossing Jor- 
dan and entrance into the promised land; the application to 
Christians. 

THE NATURE AND OBJECT OF TYPES FURTHER CONSIDERED 
AND EXEMPLIFIED. 

In carrying out the plan already indicated, two of 
the three manners of teaching have been considered, viz : 
The parables of the Savior and the literal teaching of 
the apostles, their exact harmony and force, etc. It 
now remains to examine the types of the Old Testa- 
ment. Let ns understand the meaning and object of 
scriptural types. Other types need not now be consid- 
ered, except to aid in understanding these. 

Type is from tupos, and this from tuptoo, to strike, 
and means, 

1. A stroke, or blow. 

2. The impression made by a blow ; as " the print of 
the nails in his hands." John xx : 25. 

3. A model set before us for our imitation. Phil, iii: 
17 : "Ye have us for an example" — type. Heb. viii: 5 : 
" Who serve under the example and shadow (type) of 
heavenly things." 1 Thess. i : 7: " So that ye were en- 

(152) 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 153 

samples (types) to all that believe in Macedonia and 
Achaia." 

4. In printing, that which makes the impression — the 
type. 

5. In the Scriptures, it means, " a shadow of things 
to come," e. g. Col. ii : 16, 17, " Let no man judge 
you in meat, or drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of 
the new moon, or of the Sabbath days, which are a 
shadow (type) of things to come ; but the body (sub- 
stance) is of Christ." Also Heb. x : 1, " For the law hav- 
ing a shadow (type) of good things to come, and not 
the very (or exact) image of those things," etc. 1 Cor. 
x : 6, 11, Paul, having noted very distinctly their deliv- 
erance from Egyptian bondage, and their sins in the 
wilderness, adds : " Now these things were our exam- 
ples, (types) to the intent that we should not lust after 
evil things, as they also lusted." And, " Now all these 
things happened unto them for ensamples : (types) and 
they are written for our admonition, upon whom the 
ends of the world (or Jewish age) are come." 

Here, besides telling us the meaning of scriptural 
types, we have named as types, their meat, drink, holy 
days, new moons and Sabbaths ; then, their deliverance, 
their sins and punishments in the wilderness, etc. And 
we may add here, that in Heb. ix : 1-9, Paul describes 
the Tabernacle and its service in detail, and adds: 
" which was a figure (type) for the time then present, in 
which were offered both gifts and sacrifies," etc. This 
gives us almost the whole history and service of the 
Jews as types for us. We are strictly correct, then, 
when we say, with Stewart, Home, Bishop Lowth, etc., 
that almost every thing, certainly every prominent thing, 
in the law of Moses was typical of something in Christ. 

" The word anti-type (anti, against, over against, and 



154 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

tupos, type,) denotes the substance, or that which is pre- 
figured by the type, e. g., the paschal lamb was the 
type of which Christ was and is the anti-type. The 
word archetype (archee, beginning, and tupos, pattern,) is 
used in nearly the same sense. It simply means the 
original pattern or model, according to which all the 
types were constructed." — Milligan. 
Several items should here be noted : 

I. There is always a resemblance, or analogy between 
the type and the anti-type. 

II. The likeness is only partial, and care must be ex- 
ercised to avoid pressing it too far; i. e., imagining 
points of likeness where there are none. Moses resem- 
bled, and was a type of Christ, as a deliverer, mediator 
and law giver, not in any frailty or imperfection. Ca- 
naan was a type of heaven, or of the new earth, though 
the resemblance was slight. Adam was a type of Christ, 
but the points of difference, as in the previous cases, 
were much more numerous than the points of likeness. 

III. The points of likeness were chosen, pre-ordained 
and are identified and made manifest by Paul. 

IV. Every type is a prophecy. They all point to the 
future. In this they are in contrast with most symbols, 
which relate, generally, to things present. 

V. Two objects were to be accomplished by types : (1) 
To give a pictorial outline representation of grand fut- 
ure events; especially the scheme of redemption by 
Christ. (2) To serve as a demonstrative proof of the 
divine origin of the anti-type. Heb. iii : 5. "And 
Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, 
for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken 
after," etc. Dent, xviii : 15, 18, 10. Hence we have in 
the types of the Old Testament, and their anti-types in 
the Xew, the moral demonstration of the divinity of 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 155 

Christ and his scheme of redemption. The antitype is 
the fulfilled prophecy. As the glove fits the hand; as 
the atmosphere is suited to the lungs, etc., so are the 
types of the Old Testament to their antitypes, the great 
facts of the gospel. As a suhstance corresponds with 
its shadow, so the religion of Christ corresponds with 
the types of Moses, and shows that it was pointed to by 
those types. 

Paul's definition of a type, Ileb. x: 1, is a happy one. 
He calls it " a shadow of good things to come." If we 
look to the rising sun, and a man is approaching us, 
his shadow first reaches our eyes. It gives a general 
idea, but not "an exact representation of his person." 
As the sun ascends and he draws nearer, the shadow he- 
comes more distinct ; but it never gives an " exact rep- 
resentation of his person." Jesus came from the gates 
of the morning ; but his shadow, or type, reached the 
world four thousand years before his person was seen. 
So all the sacrifices, figures, or types of him, were dis- 
tant, shadowy representations of his person, offices, 
character and wonderful works. They were the shad- 
ows, (types) of the substance or antitype. 

It is not always safe to conclude that a thing or event 
is an antitype simply because it happens to fit the type. 
True, when there are many fitting points, not otherwise 
to be accounted for, we conclude they were shadowed 
forth in the types, and are antitypes. But the only cer- 
tain way of determining when a* thing is an antitype, is 
to have one of the New Testament writers say so, as we 
have seen Paul does of almost every leading thing in 
Judaism. 

This principle holds, also, as respects other prophe- 
eies. We may think that certain ancient prophecies re- 
ferred to events in our own day, or in past ages, but we 



156 LIVE EEL JG 10 US ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

may err, as many have ; and the only certainty is where 
the New Testament writers identify them ; as Peter, on 
the day of Pentecost does the prophecy of Joel; (ii : 28, 
29 ;) and as Paul does Jer. xxxi : 31-34, in Heb. viii : 8-12. 
In interpreting types, the same rules obtain that are 
used in interpreting symbols, parables, metaphors, etc. 
Hence, we are now prepared to investigate several of 
the principal types of the Old Testament, according to 
these rules and principles. These, and like investiga- 
tions of other subjects, will serve as further exemplifica- 
tions of the rules given. 

TYPES AND THEIR ANTI-TYPES. 

We are now ready to consider the Old Testament 
types and their corresponding New Testament anti- 
types. The first in order is 

THE DELIVERANCE OF ISRAEL. 

Now, according to the rules and principles given and 
exemplified, let us try to understand the Mosaic system. 
And, in this investigation, let it be remembered that we 
are giving, not the traditions of the Rabbis, or the opin- 
ions of men ; nor will we draw any important conclu- 
sions from doubtful passages of Scripture. Having fully 
determined to stop where the Bible stops, and to go 
where it leads, even "through floods and flames," we are 
simply inquiring for its plain teaching, by direct pre- 
cept, by primitive .example, or by necessary inference. 
All beyond are incidental and unauthoritative. 

THE TYPICAL NATURE OF THIS DELIVERANCE. 

Paul said of this deliverance, "Moreover, breth- 
ren, I would not that you should be ignorant, how 
that all our fathers were under the cloud; and all passed 
through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses 



LIVE REL1GI0 US JSS UES OF THE DA Y. 157 

in the cloud and in the sea ; and did all eat the 
same spiritual meat," etc. * * "Now these things 
were our example (figures or types) to the intent we 
should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 
Neither he ye idolaters," etc. " Now all these things 
happened unto them for ensamples, (or types) and they 
are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of 
the world (the Jewish age) are come." 1 Cor. x : 1, 2, 
6, 7, 11, etc. 

Two facts need to he observed here : 1. That this is 
applied by Paul to the Gentiles, and leaves no chance 
for doubt that it belongs to us. 2. That it refers direct- 
ly to the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage. 
Their bondage was a type of our bondage to sin. Their 
deliverance was a type of our deliverance from sin. We 
are not following a " cunningly devised fable," therefore, 
when we carefully note 

THE LEADING FACTS IN THEIR DELIVERANCE. 

According to Bishop Usher's chronology, which is 
most generally received, though it is not infallible, God's 
call to Abram, Gen. xii : 1-6, was B. C. 1921. Perhaps 
about six years after this he appeared to him again, 
Gen. xv : 13, 14, and said : 

" Know of a surity that thy seed shall be a stranger in 
a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them ; and they 
shall afflict them four hundred years ; and also that na- 
tion whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward 
shall they come out with great substance." About four 
years after this God appeared to Abram again, changed 
his name, and instituted circumcision ; after this he ap- 
peared to him again with fuller assurances. See Gene- 
sis xvii. And B. C. 1872, forty-nine years from his first 
appearance, he appeared to him yet again, when he 



158 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

would not withhold even Isaac. In all these cases God 
renewed his promises to Abraham ; Gen. xxii : 15-20. But 
the calculation is from his first appearance in I7r, of the 
Chaldees, B. C. 1921. Their deliverance was B. C. 
1491. Take this from that, and we have just 430 years. 
"iSTow the sojourning of the children of Israel, who 
dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years." 
Ex. xii : 40 ; Gen. xv : 13. This does not say they were 
sojourners in Egypt 430 years, hut simply that they 
dwelt in Egypt, and they were sojourners 430 years. So 
they were. They had no settled place from the call of 
Ahram to their entrance on the land of Caanan, which 
was 430 years. The mistake has been in commencing 
to count from their going down into Egypt, instead of 
from the call of Abram. Stephen, Acts vii : 6, 7, count- 
ing only the hundreds, says : u And God spake on this 
wise, that his seed should sojourn in a strange land (not 
all the while in Egypt ;) and that they should bring them 
into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years. 
And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I 
judge, said God; and after that shall they come forth, 
and serve me in this place. < It was only about 215 years 
from the going down of Israel into Egypt, to thier com- 
ing out under Moses. See chronology of Genesis xlvii, 
and Exodus i. 

NATURE OF THEIR BONDAGE. 

It was not the slavery of such as were captured in 
war, and bought and sold. They had many personal 
rights, owned much personal property, and were re- 
markably prosperous in many respects. They lived 
mainly together, and in the best part of Egypt. But, 
"The Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve 
with rigour: And they made their lives bitter with hard 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 159 

bondage, in mortar, and brick, and in all manner of ser- 
vice in the field : All their service wherein they made 
them serve, was with rigour." Ex. i : 13, 14. See Ex. 
ii: 23; vi: 9; Num. xx : 15; Acts vii : 15, 34; Ps. 
Ixxxi : 6. 

THEIR NUMBERS IN EGYPT. 

In 215 years in Egypt, they increased from three score 
and fifteen to 603,550, twenty years old and upward, that 
were able to go forth to war. Ex. i: 46. This was a 
vast army. And when the women, children and all 
were counted, there must have been about 3,000,000. 

They were encamped around the Tabernacle, three 
tribes east, three west, three north, and three south. 
The Tabernacle was in the center, and Moses, Aaron 
and the priests camped at the east, or front of the Tab- 
ernacle, which was covered by a pillar of cloud by 
day and of fire by night. This cloud was so mani- 
fest that it could no more be mistaken than the sun in 
cloudless mid-day. The tribes were summoned to 
march on the lifting of the cloud, by the sounding of 
the trumpets. In ail this there was no chance for 
mistake, unless they might mistake day and night. 
Still they needed faith in the words of" men sup- 
ported by miracles, since some of them could not see 
when the cloud arose, or hear when the ' trumpet 
sounded, being from four to eight miles distant from the 
Tabernacle. They had faith in God, in Moses and in 
the priests, on divine testimony. » 

HOW THEY CAME TO BELIEVE IN MOSES. 

The Israelites had a constant and comforting assur- 
ance that God would deliver them from their bondage; 
for they knew something of the Abrahamic covenant, 
its prophecy and its promises, which included all this, 



160 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

as we have seen. Joseph lived 110 years, and governed 
Egypt perhaps ahont eighty years; (unless the king- 
that " knew not Joseph" arose sooner, concerning which 
we have not certain testimony.) When he was about to 
die he " said unto his brethren, I die ; and God will sure- 
ly visit you, and bring you out of this land, unto the 
land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. 
And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, say- 
ing, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my 
bones from hence." Gen. 1 : 24,, 25. 

They doubtless thought the time long ; and when the 
wonderful story of Moses was known among them, they 
looked, we may presume, with some degree of hope all 
the forty years of his life in Egypt. But when he fled 
from Egypt, and during his forty years absence, they 
must have lost hope in him. When God appeared to 
Moses in the bush, and proposed to send him, " Moses 
answered and said, but behold they will not believe me, 
nor hearken to my voice; for they will say the Lord 
hath not appeared unto thee." Ex. iv : 1. (See, also, 
the preceding chapter, and the following history.) This 
was a most reasonable conclusion. How were the " eld- 
ers of Israel," and the whole people to believe that 
Moses was the long promised and anxiously hoped for 
deliverer ? Nearly fifteen hundred years after this, the 
Jews and all nations were looking for the promised 
Messiah ; but how could they know that Jesus of Naz- 
areth was that Messiah ? The answer is : By his mira- 
cles. John xx : 30, 31. So now, the Lord said to 
Moses, " Cast down your rod." He did so, and " it be- 
came a serpent, and Moses fled from before it." Then 
he said, "take it by the tail." He did so, and "it be- 
came a rod in his hand again." "Put your hand in 
your bosom." He did so, and "took it out leproused 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 161 

white as snow." " Put it back." He did so, and when 
he took it out it was "restored whole as the other." 
Now, said the Lord, go down, gather the elders of Is- 
rael, and perform these two miracles before their eyes, 
" and it shall come to pass that if they believe not the 
voice of the first sign, they will believe the voice of the 
second sign." See Ex. iv : 2, 3, 4 and on. Moses did 
so, and " the people believed." Ex. iv : 31. In this 
way, then, the people of Israel got faith in Moses ; not 
by a direct and mysterious operation, but by plain and 
unmistakable manifestations of miraculous power, God's 
word, supported by miracles. But Moses had to per- 
form other very signal miracles, culminating in the 
death of the first born in every Egyptian house, before 
Pharaoh would let them go. And then his faith failed, 
and he followed Israel to his own utter destruction in 
the Red sea. Ex. 5th to 14th chapters. 

Here we have three great facts very distinctly made 
out and established, viz.: 

I. That faith rests on testimony, the testimony being 
of the same nature of the truth or proposition to be 
believed ; thus, an extraordinary proposition must have 
extraordinary testimony, such as Moses gave. 

II. More testimony is required to cause some peo- 
ple to believe than others. The Jews were ready, glad 
and easy to believe, and did believe on two miracles, 
while Pharaoh required ten others, and then had not 
strong and profiting faith. 

III. There is testimony enough to make Pharaoh and 
his court, doubting Thomas, and all the world believe. 
This is a manifest and glorious truth, and cuts off all 
excuse or apology for disbelief. 

THE NATURE OF THESE MIRACLES. 

I. The difference between what sooth sayers could 

11 



162 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

do, rightly called "wonderful works," and true mira- 
cles, appears in the fact that "Moses' rod swallowed up 
their rods." They could not only see this, but it was 
so manifest that they could not fail to see it. So it was 
with the healing of the lame man, Acts iii, and with Si- 
mon the sorcerer, Acts viii. The people saw the differ- 
ence between the true miracles performed by Philip, and 
the wonderful works performed by Simon, and they 
"believed Philip." There was no dark lantern, or cur- 
tains, or dim lights to obscure the vision. All was in 
open day, and the utmost scrutiny was invited. Not 
so of the false prophets, or wonderful workers, magi- 
cians, or astrologers. 

II. The manner of stating these true miracles is di- 
rect and emphatic as in the Bible, and as in all the 
prophecies. Not so with false prophets or deceivers. 

III. Then the fact that these miracles were a part of 
the history of the Jews from their deliverance from 
Egypt would expose the record to contempt and ridi- 
cule, if they had not been real. The fathers would 
have said : " we were there, and we know that nothing 
of the kind ever occurred. Moses wrought no such 
miracles, the Red sea was not parted," etc. But instead 
of this, every Jew then, and till to-day, believes in the 
reality of these miracles. And these Jews were the 
very best, and in fact, the only witnesses ; and their tes- 
timony cannot be invalidated. As well might we tell a 
man he was deceived in the light of a cloudless day, as 
to tell these three millions of people that they were de- 
ceived concerning these miracles, including their pas- 
sage through the Red sea, the quails and manna, the 
pillar of cloud and fire, bringing water out of a rock 
for all the host, the opening of the earth and swallowing 
of Korah and his company, the falling of the walls of 



LIVE RELIGIO US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 163 

Jericho, etc. If they could, hy any possibility, be de- 
ceived as to these, there is nothing certain, even our per- 
sonal existence! and we must be universal skeptics. 
And if these Jews did not, like Paul, give evidence of 
honesty and sincerity as to their faith, then can no man 
give evidence of honesty or sincerity in any thing! 
This is taking the hightest ground. This ground the 
Christian defiantly occupies. Nothing of the same na- 
ture ever was or ever can be better proved. Hence, if 
these miracles, and the truths they attest, are not proved, 
nothing is proved or can be proved. [See the conver- 
sion of Paul, etc.] 

THE EFFECT OF THEIR FAITH IN MOSES. 

Without faith in Moses they would not have been wil- 
ling to follow him. With it, they were very desirous to 
go under his leadership. Faith in him as a man, worked 
in them this willingness. So now, faith in the Great 
Anti-type of Moses, "works by love," "purifies the 
heart," "and makes us willing to follow Him." And 
when Paul tells us (Phil, ii : 13) that God "works in us 
to will and to do of his good pleasure;" this is the 
way. He gave them faith by giving them testimony, 
and that faith worked in them the will to serve God. 

STILL THEY WERE NOT SAVED. 

This should be noted as a distinct and important fact. 
They had all the needed faith. The evidence of this is : 

1. In the statement before cited, that " they believed 
in God; " they "believed also in his servant Moses." 

2. That faith had done its work ; it had made them 
willing and ready to obey. This is the office of faith. 

3. There is not the slightest intimation of a lack of 
faith till after they started. They are reproached all 
through the wilderness for lack of faith ; but not before, 
nor when they started to follow Moses out of Egypt. If 



164 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

faith could save them, then, without a trial of faith, 
and the obedience of faith, they would have been saved 
in Egypt. Yet they were not saved there. They never 
felt that they were saved there. They never claimed to 
be saved there. They never rejoiced there. Hold a lit- 
tle. We shall see precisely when and how they were 
saved, after 

THEIR PASSING THROUGH THE SEA. 

See Exodus 12th chapter. The beginning of the year 
is changed from the civil to the sacred, and the new 
year begins with this wonderful deliverance. This, as 
an indisputable fact, shows the greatness and certainty 
of the event. No man can account for this change 
without allowing that it was the work of God. What 
could now change the beginning of our year from the 
first of January to any other period? No rational 
man will claim that human power could do this. The 
birth of Christ changed the chronological index of the 
world ; and to-day every infidel in the land writes " the 
year of our Lord 1890 ! " Perhaps he does not think of 
this when he dates his letters ! No human wisdom can 
even imagine how this change was made from Anno 
Mundi to Anno Domini, that is, from the creation, to 
the redemption of the world by the death of Christ, 
without admitting that the hand of God was in this. 
The flood made no such change. Only the deliverance 
of Israel, and the resurrection of Christ changed the 
world's chronology! If the miraculous inspiration of 
the holy Scriptures was our theme, here we should oc- 
cupy several pages. It may serve the purpose in hand 
to simply note the facts, as they appear, uncontradicted 
and unquestioned. 

They kept the paschal lamb from the tenth to the 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 165 

fourteenth, killed it at evening, and started out on the 
fifteenth of the first Hebrew or sacred month ; Abib or 
Nisan, answering to our March and April. " They were 
about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides 
women and children, and flocks, and herds, even a very 
great multitude." Ex. xii : 37, 38, 42. Starting from 
Kameses the}' reached Succoth. From Succoth they 
went to Etham. Ex. xiii : 20. Then they " camped be- 
fore Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over 
against Baalzephon." Ex. xiv : 2. So far all went 
well. The pillar of fire and of cloud went with them 
day and night. This camp, the last before their cross- 
ing the Red sea, is of great interest. Still, many things 
about it are not very clear. The language quoted is 
certain, but not clear. Matthew Henry says : 

"On one hand was Pi-hahiroth, a range of craggy rocks unpassable ; 
on the other hand were Migdol and Baalzephon, which, some think, 
were forts and garrisons upon the frontiers of Egypt; before them 
was the sea, behind them were the Egyptians, so that there was no 
way open for them but upward, and thence their deliverance came." 

Watson says : 

" The Hebrew pi answers to the modern Arabic word fum, signify- 
ing " mouth ; " and is generally applied to passes in the mountains. 
* * * The whole word (Pi-hahiroth) would imply the mouth or 
pass of Hahiroth or Hiroth. * * * The place where this miracle 
is supposed to have happened, is still called Bahral-Kolsum, or the 
sea of destruction ; and just opposite to the situation which answers 
to the opening called Pi-hahiroth, is a bay, where the north cape is 
called Ras Musa, or the Cape of Moses. That part of the western or 
Heroopalitan branch of the Red sea wher,e, from these co-incidences, 
the passage most probably took place, is described by Bruce as about 
three leagues over, with fourteen fathoms of water in the channel, 
nine at the sides, and good anchorage everywhere. The farther side 
is also represented as a low sandy coast, and an easy landing place." 

Those regarded as the best authorities say, on Ex. 
xiv : 2 ; Num. xxxiii : 7, that " Pi-hahiroth signifies the 
mouth of the ridge, or chain of mountains, which line 



166 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE BAY. 

the western coast of the Red sea, called Attaka, ' deliv- 
erance,' in which was a gap, which formed the extremity 
of the valley of Beda, ending at the sea eastward," etc. 
a Migdol signifies 'a tower.' Baalzephon signifies 'the 
northern Baal.' " 

But whether these definitions and historic statements 
are strictly correct or not, it is evident that the Israelites 
were effectually shut in, and without a way or means of 
escape from the pursuing enemy, till the Lord inter- 
vened. Their camp was probably about twelve miles 
square, each tribe under his own banner. They were 
sorely distressed. So was Moses ; till God ordered him 
te say to the people, " stand still," or wait " and see the 
salvation of the Lord." Moses stretched out his hand, 
the wind came, blew out the way, and then came 
the order to "go forward." Ex. 14th chapter. "And 
the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea 
upon the dry ground ; and the waters were a wall unto 
them on their right hand, and on their left. And the 
Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst 
of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots and 
his horsemen. And it came to pass that in the morning 
watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians, 
through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled 
the host of the Egyptians," etc. Ex. xiv: 22, 23, 24. 
In the mean time, the Israelites passed over, and stood 
on the other shore. This is what is referred to, 1 Cor. 
x: 1, 2: "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye 
should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under 
the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all 
baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea," etc. 

WHAT WAS IT PAUL CALLED THEIR BAPTISM UNTO MOSES ? 

Note the facts : 

1. A way was opened in the waters for an army of 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 167 

about three millions of people, with an immense quan- 
tity of stock, etc., to pass hastily through. It must 
have been a very wide opening. Very few of them, 
if any, could have been reached with sprays of water 
from the upstanding walls. And they went through 
" dry shod." 

2. " The depths were congealed [frozen] in the heart 
of the sea." Ex. xv : 8. No sprays could, therefore, go 
from the frozen walls. Not a drop of water touched 
them. 

3. " The Lord looked upon the Egyptians through the 
pillar of cloud." The cloud was, therefore, over them. 

4. It was not a rain cloud, but a " cloud of the glory 
of the Lord." No water fell from it. 

5. That cloud, which gave the Israelites light by night 
and shade by day, and which guided their way, removed 
and went behind them so the Egyptians came not near 
them all that night. This cloud was, of necessity, in some 
measure before them also. Thus, the cloud over them, 
before them, and behind them, and the walls of water 
on each side completely boxed them up, buried them ! 
Hence, Paul says, they were baptized — not in the cloud, 
nor in the sea, but " in the cloud and in the sea." Both 
were required to baptize them unto, or into, Moses. 
This, then, is what Paul calls their baptism. Some of 
us have seen persons buried in the clay and in the 
soft rock; and sometimes, in the sand and in the 
clay. Both were used to complete the burial, by 
shovels full of earth. 

It is claimed by one class of writers that Ps. lxxviir 
15-20, refers to this baptism. This is by no means proved. 
If it was it would not disprove the facts here noted. It 
is always unsafe and unfair to draw an uncertain con- 
clusion contrary to certain facts. Josephus says that 



168 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE, DAY. 

something like the narrative in the 77th Psalm occurred 
after the Jews gained the other shore. Possibly in this 
way Pharaoh was drowned ; but certainly the Jews were 
boxed up or buried in the cloud and in the sea. 

BUT WHEN WERE THEY SAVED ? 

Well, it is evident that they did not consider them- 
selves saved in their camp before Pi-hahiroth. They 
were in the deepest mourning. The Red Sea was the 
boundary of Pharaoh's dominion, and they must get be- 
yond that border. Even after that they might have fear 
of Pharaoh. 

But so soon as the narrative of their baptism is re- 
corded, and they stood on the farther shore, it is said : 
" Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of 
the Egyptians ; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon 
the sea-shore." Ex. xiv : 30. Then, in the. following 
chapter, comes the grandest song that had, to that time, 
been sung or heard by mortals ! It. is even connected 
with the final triumph over death, and reaching of the 
golden shore ! Pev. xv : 3. Here, then, we find the 
time and place where, and how they were saved ; and 
the circumstances and results all concur. 

It has already been fully proved by the language of 
Paul, that their salvation from bondage in Egypt was a 
type of our salvation from bondage in sin. No one 
questions this. ~No one, perhaps, ever did question this. 
We should, therefore, understand well and minutely how 
they were saved, the consummation being found in their 
baptism unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea. The 
antitype precisely corresponds with this. No one, in the 
days of the apostles, claimed to be saved before baptism. 
They had the faith and repentance, the right state of 
mind and heart, as the Israelites did before their baptism 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 169 

into Moses, but as the Israelites were not saved while yet 
in the dominion of Pharaoh, so these people were not 
saved till they were " translated out of the kingdom of 
darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son" in bap- 
tism. " For as many of you as have been baptized into 
Christ have pat on Christ." Gal. iii : 27. How precise- 
ly this accords with the great commission : " He that 
believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Mark xvi : 
16. If some of the Israelites had refused to be baptized 
in the cloud and in the sea, and had remained, behind, 
while the host followed Moses (and we do not know but 
some did refuse, for it was a fearful undertaking!) but 
one fate awaited them, falling into the hands of Pharaoh. 
And now, if some persistently refuse to receive Chris- 
tian baptism, the clearly marked and fully admitted an- 
titype, what must be their fate? This inquiry does not 
include those who cannot be baptized, but only those 
who refuse, and persistently will not. 

ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS. 

But being saved from their sins was not equal to reach- 
ing heaven ; just as being saved from slavery in Egypt 
was not reaching the promised land on the part of the 
Jews. It was on the way ; this was all to them, and is all 
to us. They were in the wilderness yet, and Jordan was 
between them and Canaan. So are we in the wilderness, 
and the Jordan of death must be passed before we stand 
on the golden shore and sing of .final salvation. 

They were very happy when they were saved from 
Pharaoh, and perhaps thought they would never doubt, 
or complain Of God any more. But three days' journey 
in the wilderness of Shur without water, convinced them 
that they were in the flesh still, and quite a distance from 
"the land that floweth with milk and honey."_ And 



170 LIVE RELIGIO US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 

when they found water, at Marak, they could not drink 
it, " and they murmured." "When Moses cast in the tree, 
and sweetened the water, it would seem they should 
have heen content, and murmured no more. Then they 
reached Elim, on the way to Sinai, " on the fifteenth day 
of the second month after their departure from the land 
of Egypt." Ex. xvi : 1, 2, etc. And here they mur- 
mured desperately for flesh. Thus, as they started, so they 
continued forty years in the wilderness, till the num- 
bered men were all dead, save Caleb and Joshua. What 
a type of our wilderness life ! Have we not often re- 
belled, and murmured against God in our hearts, if not 
otherwise? " Wherefore I was grieved with that gener- 
ation, and said, they do alway err in their heart ; and 
they have not known my ways. So I sware in my 
wrath, they shall not enter into my rest. Take heed, 
brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of un- 
belief, in departing from the living God. But exhort 
one another daily," etc. Heb. iii : 10-13. See Heb. 3d 
and 4th chapters, for Paul's forcible and clear applica- 
tion of that wilderness type to Christians. He would 
excite our fear, lest we fail as they did. He says that 
we, too, entered into rest, a great rest, when we entered 
into Christ, and were saved from our sins. But he adds 
that, as there was a better rest for them, in Canaan, so 
" there remaineth, therefore, a rest unto the people of 
God. Let us labor, therefore, to enter into that rest, lest 
any man fall after the same example of unbelief." Heb. 
iv : 3-11. 

Often were the Jews marched to the borders of Jor- 
dan, as if they were to pass over ; and many of them, 
doubtless, thought they would then go over ; many who 
never did reach the good land ! And how many of us 
have stood on the brink of Jordan, our feet dipped in its 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 171 

waters, and we and our friends thought we were going 
over ! But as the Israelites turned and marched away, 
so we were raised up, and are still for a little while yet 
in this wilderness. But, finally, they did pass over ; so, 
too, shall we. How soon we know not. 

THE TYPES AND ANTITYPES HERE PRESENTED. 

I. The bondage of the Jews in Egypt, the type of our 
bondage in sin. 

II. Moses their deliverer, and the type of Christ, our 
deliverer. 

III. The miracles of Moses in Egypt, the foundation 
of their faith, and the type of the miracles of Christ, the 
foundation of our faith. 

IY. Their baptism into Moses in the cloud and in the 
sea, the type of our baptism into Christ. 

Y. Their being saved from Egyptian bondage, the 
type of our being saved from sin. 

YI. Their wilderness life the type of our life in Christ, 
in this " wilderness of woe." 

VII. As they sinned, after being really saved, and 
failed to reach the promised land, so we sin after being 
saved in Christ, and may fail to reach the everlasting 
rest. What a type ! and what an antitype ! 

YIII. Their crossing Jordan a type of our death. Ev- 
erybody speaks of the Jordan of death, and sings : " On 
Jordan's stormy banks I stand." 

IX. The land of Canaan a type of heaven. 

Some of these types are more striking and impressive ; 
but they were all the best that could be found. Material 
things typified spiritual things. Temporal things typi- 
fied eternal things. And all " these things are written 
for our admonition." 1 Cor. x : 6-11. Shall we profit by 
them as we ought ? Or will we be stiff-necked and re- 



172 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

bellious, after all, as that wonderfully typical people 
were ? It would seem that the case could not be more 
clear ; so that we are, and must be, forever " without ex- 
cuse." The Lord help us to be wise, and so improve the 
opportunities graciously offered us ! 






CHAPTER XIII. 

The Jewish Tabernacle. — Stackhouseon early places of worship ; im- 
portance of understanding the type ; six items we cannot be cer- 
tain about; description of the tabernacle and its furniture, the 
ark, the altar of incense, the incense, the table of shew bread, the 
candlestick ; first holy place, second holy place ; outer court, the 
laver, the altar of burnt offerings, and their antitypes in the New 
Testament ; from Calmet, Brown, Sherwood, Watson, Jones ; six 
important items ; the water of separation and its antitype; the 
holy oil and its antitype, etc. 

Stackhouse's history of the Bible, p. 310, says: 

"From the first beginning of time, God had always some place ap- 
propriated to the solemn duties of religious worship. Even in the 
small space of his continuance in Paradise, Adam had where to pre- 
sent himself before the Lord; (Hooker's Ecc. Polity, Book V.) and 
after his expulsion from thence, his sons, in like manner, had whith- 
er to bring their oblations and sacrifices. (Gen. iv:3.) The patri- 
archs, both before and after the flood, used altars, and mountains, and 
groves for the self-same purpose. (Gen. xiii : 4, xxii : 1.) Here they 
had their prosenchce, or places for prayer, which were certain plots of 
ground, encompassed with a wall, or some other enclosure, and open 
above. But since the first place of this kind, that made any consid- 
erable figure, was the tabernacle which God ordered Moses to erect in 
the wilderness, as an habitation for his majestic presence to reside in, 
it may not be improper, in this place, to give some account of it, and 
the other holy things appertaining to it." 

Without seeing and understanding the type we could 
not see or appreciate the antitype. We must he well 
acquainted with the shadow, if we would see how it fits 
and adumbrates the substance. 

And it may be well to suggest that neither of the three 
temples was, in all respects, like the tabernacle which 
Moses built at Mount Sinai, and neither of them was so 

(173) 



174 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY, 

extensively and manifestly typical as the tabernacle. 
And it is a fact, also, that a number of things about this 
tabernacle, which we might all be glad to know, are not 
in the divine record. Let us note some things we can- 
not be certain about : 

1. Whether the silver sockets, into which the tenons 
on the lower ends of the upright-boards entered, had 
any foundation but the earth. One hundred talents of 
silver were used in making these sockets ; (See Ex. xxviii : 
27), a talent to each socket, which is probably about 
$150,000, or 9,370 pounds avoirdupois. 

2. Whether the laver was at or near the door, or en- 
trance into the first holy place. The only Bible state- 
ment is, that it was "between" the altar and the en- 
trance to the tabernacle. Ex. xxx: 18; Ex. xxxix : 7. 

3. Nor can we be certain as to the exact place of the 
altar of incense, or the table, the candlestick, or the ark. 
Their relative position is given, but not their precise 
place. 

4. Whether the roof was flat, oval, or conical, like 
most of our modern roofs. It is represented in pictures, 
books, and papers in each of these styles. The Bible 
has no direct statement on the subject. 

5. The thickness of the boards is not given. Con- 
jecture and tradition say it was half a cubit; but the 
Bible says nothing on the subject. 

6. Modern papers and books generally give eighteen 
inches as a cubit. Others say a cubit is nineteen inches, 
and some say twenty-one, some twenty-two inches. The 
table in A. Campbell's Living Oracles says " a cubit is 
equal to 21,888." This is only a little less than twenty- 
two inches. It is agreed that the Hebrew cubit was 
greater than the Roman, and that the length of the fore- 
arm was a cubit. We have no reason for concern about 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 175 

this or any other indefiiniteness, however, since we lose 
nothing of importance by it. For instance, if we adopt 
eighteen inches for a cuhit, then all the tahernacle is 
measured by the same rule ; and so of the furniture, etc. 
But it cannot be right for us to be positive and definite, 
where the Bible is neither positive nor definite. If we 
follow the Bible, we should stop where it stops, and be 
positive only where it is positive and clear. And yet 
writers are both definite and positive on all these and 
other points, when it is not possible for any one to be 
certain. Thus, the exact size, position, etc., of the tab- 
ernacle and its furniture are given, and differently given 
by different authors ; and the common reader does not 
know who is right, or whether either is right. Let us 
follow the Bible in style and manner, as well as in facts 
and truths ; respecting its silence as well as its utter- 
ances. Let these things be remembered while examining 
the following: 

DESCRIPTION OF THE TABERNACLE AND ITS FURNITURE. 

The tabernacle was thirty cubits long, ten broad, and 
ten high, and was made of boards a cubit and a half broad 
and ten cubits long, completely covered or plaited with 
gold. Counting 18 inches for a cubit, it was 45 feet long, 
15 wide, and 15 high. Ex. xxvi : 15-30. 

It had four coverings. Ex. xxvi : 1-14; xxxvi : 8-20. 
The first was of fine twined linen, and was to be made of 
ten curtains, each 28 cubits long and four cubits wide. 
This, when complete, was 60 feet long and 42 feet broad, 
and would extend from the east, or front part, over the 
west end, and down to the ground. It would lack 18 
inches of reaching the ground on the north and south 
sides; that is, provided the top was flat. The other 
three coverings, of (1) goat's hair, (2) ram's skins dyed 



176 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

red, (3) badger skins, were to be 30 cubits, or 45 feet 
long, 4 cubits, or 6 feet broad, and there were eleven of 
them. When put together it was 66 feet long and 45 
broad, and would extend from the ground at the west 
end to the front, or east end, and hang over about 6 feet ; 
and would reach to the ground on each side. The east 
end was covered by elaborately-figured curtains. See 
Ex. 26th and 36th chapters. On the first day of the first 
month of the second year after their deliverance, the tab- 
ernacle was set up. (Ex. 40th chap.) Aaron and his 
sons were set apart, and the tabernacle and all its furni- 
ture were sanctified, or set apart. Still it is not neces- 
sary, and might not be safe to affirm, that the tabernacle 
w r as fiat on top, though there is no other apparent way 
of accounting for the size of the coverings. 

It is not so distinctly stated, but it is agreed that the 
most holy place was a cube, 15 feet square every way. It 
was separated from the first holy place by curtains, and 
the first holy place was the same width and height, but 
thirty feet long. The outer court was 100 cubits long, 
or 150 feet; and fifty cubits, or 75 feet wide, and was in- 
closed by fine twined linen, supported by posts all around ; 
counting 18 inches as a cubit. 

THE FURNITURE OF THE TABERNACLE. 

The ark was three feet nine inches long, two feet three 
inches high, and the same in breadth. (In a recent ser- 
mon Dr. Talmage puts the ark at " about ^.Ye feet long," 
when hecompared it to the " ballot-box." (What great mis- 
takes great men can make, for lack of close investigation !) 
See Ex. xxxvii: 1, etc. It was overlaid with pure gold, 
and had a pure gold mercy-seat above of great weight, and 
two cherubims fastened one to each end, their wings, 
one of each, extending toward the walls north and south, 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 177 

the others crossing, and their faces turned as if looking 
steadily into the ark, or upon the mercy-seat, probably 
suggesting what is referred to in Peter i: 12: "Unto 
whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, hut unto 
us, they did minister the things that are now reported to 
you by them that have preached the gospel to you with 
the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven ; which things 
the angels desire to look into." There were in the ark 
the tables of the testimony, Aaron's rod that budded, 
and some of the manna. Ex. xxv: 16-20. The book of 
the law was by its side. Deut; xxxi : 26. There was 
nothing else in the most holy place, except the golden 
censer. It seems certain that it was placed midway be- 
tween the north and south walls, but how far from the 
west wall, and how far from the veil, Ave have no means 
of knowing. The interest involved in that ark and its 
mercy-seat might well interest angels ! How unaccount- 
able that man is not more thoughtfully interested in it ! 
It is the emblem, or type of all that mercy by which sin- 
ners may be saved ! 

On the tenth day of every seventh month, and during 
their third annual feast, the high priest entered, witfh his 
censer, taking fire from the altar of incense, and putting 
incense thereon. This he held under the mercy-seat, 
and so made atonement for the people and for himself. 
He was arrayed in his priestly robe, with its bells, his 
mitre, urim, thummim, etc., and was careful to purify 
himself before entering. The people were without, pray- 
ing in deep humility and reverence. The Hebrew Kap- 
har, translated " atonement," means to cover ; as the four 
coverings of the tabernacle shut out all light, and effect- 
ually hid from the gaze of men everything under them ; 
and as the mercy-seat covered the fiery law. The En- 
glish word atonement, i. e., at-one-ment, expresses the ef- 

12 



178 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE BAY. 

feet ; the reconciling of men to God, and so making them 
one ! How rich is this type ! Its antitype is in heaven, 
where Christ sits on the mercy-seat, at the right hand of 
God, ever living to make intercession for the saints ; that 
is, pleading his own " sake " or merits ; so that we are to 
ask only in his name, or by his authority — not " for his 
sake ; " not pleading his merits, since he does that him- 
self. It might be presumption tor us to get in his place 
before the Father. He said: "Whatsoever ye shall ask 
the Father in my name, he will give it you." John xvi : 23. 
The candlestick. This, with its tongs, snuffers, and 
dishes, was made of a talent of pure gold, beaten. Ex. 
xxv : 39 ; xxxi ; xxvii : 31 ; xxx : 8. The talent of pure 
gold used in making the candlestick and its furnishings, 
was worth at least $22,000. It occupied the south side 
of the first holy place. Ex. xl : 24. As there was no 
light in the most holy place, except that which emanated 
from the divine presence over the mercy-seat and be- 
tween the cherubims, so there was no light in the first 
holy place but what came from the seven golden candle- 
sticks, or lamps, with their pure and typical oil. So the 
Christian priests have no light in the church except the 
light of truth, which David says is " a lamp to my feet 
and a light to my path." Ps. cxix : 105. All outside of 
this is darkness and uncertainty. So are all the com- 
mandments and ordinances of men, so far as concerns 
worship, pleasing God, or profiting man religiously. 
Matt, xv : 9 ; Mark vii : 7. This rich candlestick, with 
its sacredly prepared oil, gave literal light, and was the 
type of truth, the true light. " For whatsoever doth 
make manifesl is light," Eph. v: 13. (See the refer- 
ences.) There could not be a more beautiful type, or a 
more certain and manifest antitype. Still this lamp 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 179 

must be like the type, trimmed morning and evening, 
and kept supplied with oil. 

The table. — This was two cubits, or three feet long, a 
cubit, or eighteen inches broad, and a cubit and a half, 
or twenty-seven inches high, and was covered with pure 
gold. All its dishes, spoons, covers, and bowls were 
pure gold. Ex. xxv: 23-30; xxxvii: 10-16. Twelve 
loaves, each having in it two-tenth deals of fine flour, 
remained on it from one Sabbath to the next, then were 
replaced by others, and the priests alone should eat these 
in the holy place. Lev. xxiv : 5-10. Here is the type 
of the Lord's table, in the holy place, the church, and at 
it only the priests shall eat. Here we have but one 
tribe, and but one loaf, emblematic of one body broken 
for us. How rich and important the lesson in this type ! 

The altar of incense. — This was a cubit, or 18 inches 
square, and 2 cubits, or 3 feet high, covered with 
gold, and it had horns at the corners, "and a crown of 
gold around about." Ex. xxx : 1-6. It was in the first 
holy place, between the candlestick and the table of 
presence bread, before the veil that separated the holy 
from the most holy place, and " before the mercy-seat; " 
which would be about midway from south to north of 
the holy place, but precisely how far from the veil is not 
stated. "And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense 
every morning; when he dresseth the lamps he shall 
burn incense upon it. And when Aaron lighteth (or 
dresseth) the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon 
it, a perpetual incense before the Lord, throughout your 
generation." Ex. xxx: 8-10. And in Ex. xxx : 34-38, 
we have a recipe for making this incense: None was to 
be made like it, and it was to be used only as directed. 
"What a wonderful type of the prayers of the saints ! 
How costly and precious, pleasant and effective ! 



180 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

This altar was the type of what is usually called " the 
altar of prayer. 7 ' Its antitype is the place of prayer, 
not any literal, raised altar. This is also one of the types 
which has a douhle meaning ; an antit}'pe, which itself 
has an antitype. For while the family altar, or night and 
morning family prayer, closet prayer, and congregational 
prayers are clearly antitypes, i. e., the places are ; and the 
prayers themselves are the antitypes of the incense of- 
fered on this altar, there is a reference to a " golden al- 
tar" in the visions of John. Rev. viii: 3 reads: "And 
another angel came and stood by the altar, having a 
golden censer ; and there was given unto him much in- 
cense, that he should offer it, with the prayers of all 
saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne." 
The " odors" were " the prayers of the saints." Eev. v : 
8. There is, then, something ', in the heavenly state, called 
" the golden altar," which is typified by this altar of in- 
cense in the tabernacle ; and there is something there 
called " odors," which is explained to be " the prayers of 
the saints." The prayers of the saints are, then, the an- 
titypes of the " sweet incense," or odors, offered on the 
altar of incense in the tabernacle ; and so important and 
expressive is this, that it is carried forward into the fut- 
ure state, at least into the millennial, if not into the 
final state of the saved ! 

Here we have taught more plainly and impressively 
than anywhere else in all the Bible, the need of morning 
and evening prayers; " a perpetual offering before the 
Lord." These prayers are typified also by the morning 
and evening burnt offerings. Is there not much mean- 
ing in our having two types, and they so wonderfully ex- 
pressive, of our morning and evening devotions, and of 
all that can be meant in " pray without ceasing, and in 
everything give thanks ? " the fruit of our lips, giving 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 181 

thanks to his name? How dare we claim to be " kings 
and priests to God," if we make not these offerings ac- 
cording to the type ? 

Now, having described the furniture in the most holy 
place, and in the first holy place, let ns remove the cur- 
tain at the east end of the tabernacle, and come out into 
the " outer court,'' which was inclosed by pillars and cur- 
tains, and was 75x150 feet, the tabernacle occupying the 
west portion, leaving a space on each side, and in front 
a space, probably about 75x105 feet. This outer court 
had in it the laver and the altar of burnt offerings. 

The laver. — This was of brass, and was, in some way, 
unexplained, made of, or had connected with it, the 
looking-glasses of the women. These were of polished 
brass. Ex. xxx ; 18. "And thou shalt also make a laver 
of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal ; and 
thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congre- 
gation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. 
For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their 
feet thereat." Ex. xxx : 18, 19. See also Ex. xxx : 28; 
xxx: 9; xxxv : 16; xxxviii : 8; xxxix: 39: xl : 7-30; 
Lev. viii: 11. We are not tanght its size, or its shape , 
though our modern literature gives a very nice picture 
of it, according to their supposing. This is misleading 
the candid inquirer. No man knows its form or size, or 
where it stood, except as we read, " between the altar 
and the tabernacle." It had water, common water, to 
wash the hands and feet of the priests, not the holy wa- 
ter described in Num. xix, called " the water of separa- 
tion." 

Its use shows that cleanliness was necessary in the 
worship of God. These washings are regarded as typi- 
cal of Christian baptism. This is not very clear, as may 
appear in the " consecration of the priests." It is enough 



182 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

for us to note that, it sets forth the bodily, as well as the 
spiritual cleanliness and purity of the divine service. 
Cleanliness, decency, order and purity become the wor- 
ship of the Infinite One ! "Were we investigating the 
temple which Solomon built, it would be easy to tell of 
ten lavers, give their size, form, etc., at great length. 
But this investigation is of the tabernacle, which God 
himself ordered, and which is declared to be typical in 
almost all its parts ; and where the record is silent, we 
cannot speak, however our natural curiosity may desire 
to know more. 

The altar of burnt offerings. — An article in Brown's En- 
cyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, made up from Calmet, 
Watson, Sherwood, and Jones, commences thus : "Altar, 
the place on which sacrifices were offered ; sacrifices are 
nearly as ancient as worship ; and altars are of nearly 
equal antiquity. Scripture speaks of altars, erected by 
the patriarchs, without describing their form, or the ma- 
terials of which they were composed. The altar which 
Jacob set up at Bethel was the stone which had served 
him for a pillow ; and Gideon sacrificed on the rock be- 
fore his house. The first altars which God commanded 
Moses to make were of earth, or of rough stones; and 
the Lord declared that if iron were used in constructing 
them they would become impure. Ex. xx : 24, 25. The 
altar which Moses enjoined Joshua to build at Mount 
Ebal was to be of unpolished stones. Deut. xxvii : 5 ; 
Josh, viii : 20. And it is very probable that such were 
those built by Samuel, Saul, and David." 

In giving the law, God said to Moses: "And thou 
shalt make an altar of shittim (or accasia) wood, five 
cubits long and five cubits broad ; the altar shall be four 
square; and the height thereof shall be three cubits." 
It was to be overlaid with brass, and all its vessels were 




LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 183 

o be of brass. Ex. xxvii : 1-9. This altar was the first 
thing to meet the eye on entering the " outer court," and 
it is presumed that it was very near the east, or entrance 
way. Hitherto God had not given very full and specific 
directions for his worship, so far as we read. Now he is 
more particular. And he told the Jews that,' in the 
promised land, he would select a place (Jerusalem) to put 
his name there, and that they should not sacrifice, or 
have altars elsewhere. Deut. xii : 11-14. Joshua direct- 
ed that twelve chosen men should each take a stone out 
of the midst of Jordan, where the priests feet stood, and 
with them he built an altar at Gilgal, which is in the 
east border of Jericho. Josh, iv: 3, 4; xix : 20. This 
altar seems to have remained over four hundred years, 
as we find King Saul preparing offerings for it. 1 Sam. 
xv : 21. (There was another Gilgal, but this is probably 
the one here referred to.) 

The altar of burnt offerings received two kinds of of- 
ferings : 1. Legal, or constrained offerings ; 2. Free-will 
offerings. The antitype for the first is not so clear, if 
there is any ; but the free-will offerings find their anti- 
type in all the Christian worship and service ; for here 
nothing is acceptable that is constrained. 

The gospel calls only for free-will offerings. If peo- 
ple were induced to unite with the church, or to give of 
their means, in unscriptural ways, or from unscriptural 
motives, God would not be pleased. Paul, at one time, 
refused to permit the church at Corinth to support him, 
and went to work tent-making. This can be accounted 
for only by the fact that he saw their liberality would 
not be so willing, hearty, and voluntary as he liked. 
"The Lordloveth a cheerful (or voluntary) giver." Paul 
did not retain Onesimus, because it might be a con- 
strained benefit; though he was confident Philemon was 



184 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

willing to do even more than he would ask. Phile. 14- 
21. To get money out of the unwilling is to rob them ; 
for they will get no reward hereafter. The call is only 
to the willing, and voluntary offerings only are accept- 
able. 

The offerings to be presented on this altar were not to 
be the lame, or the blind, but of the best of the flock, 
and "without blemish." Lev. i : 3; iii : 1. The free- 
will offerings were brought to the door of the taberna- 
cle, and he who brought an animal was to lay his hands 
on its head, and kill it. Then the priests offered it. The 
sin-offering was burned " without the camp," after Aaron 
and his sons had laid their hands upon it at the door of 
the tabernacle. Ex. xxix : 10-15. Hence, Paul says 
Jesus " suffered without the gate." Heb. xiii : 12. Jesus 
is, in this way, presented as the antitype of all the sin- 
offerings under the law. And his was a free-will offer- 
ing. " I lay down my life." " No man taketh it from 
me." Their peace offerings were devotional. Their sin 
offerings were to obtain forgiveness. " Without the shed- 
ding of blood there is no remission." There could be 
no merit in the blood of beasts, but their blood typified 
the blood of Christ " shed for many for the remission of 
sins." 

No man should bring an offering before the Lord, ex- 
cept such as he had himself appointed. All others 
would be an abomination. Nor could such offerings as 
he had appointed be acceptable, unless they were offered 
just as he directed. All his directions were to be observed. 
The wrath of God was upon all presumptuous pretend- 
ers ! What a lesson for worshiping God now as he has 
directed, and only so ! For " if a man also strive for 
masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive law- 
fully," or according to law. 2 Tim: ii : 5. If an un- 



LIVE REL1GI0 US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 185 

clean animal were brought, or any one not appointed 
by law, it was an abomination. Or, if a divinely-chosen 
offering were brought, and offered contrary to the law, 
it was an abomination. God's law was sacred, and must 
be regarded in all its parts. 

SUMMARY OF THE FURNITURE, ETC. 

Let us be careful to have the size and proportions of 
the tabernacle and its three departments well in mind. 

I. The most holy place, in the west end, a type of 
heaven, the home of God, and " the home of the soul." 
It had in it the ark of the covenant, the mercy-seat, and 
cherubims. It was entered by the high priest alone, the 
tenth day of every seventh month, the day of atone- 
ment. 

Paul in Iieb. ix : 24-26, says : " For Christ is not en- 
tered into the holy places made with hands, which are the 
figures (or types) of the true, but into heaven itself, now 
to appear in the presence of God for us; nor yet that he 
should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth 
into the holy place, every year with the blood of others ; 
for then must he often have suffered since the founda- 
tion of the world (or Christian age) ; but now once in 
the end of the world (the Jewish age), hath he appeared 
to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself" — " once for 
all." Iieb. x: 10. See also Iieb. ix: 11, 12, etc. And 
we may pause here to note that, according to the rules 
given and the investigations made, we see here a few 
points of likeness, and many points of ^o?likeness. The 
high priests entered with the blood of others; Christ en- 
tered with his oi07i blood. The high priest, the type, 
entered every year; Jesus entered "once for all:' The 
high priest entered the most holy place in the tabernacle; 
Jesus entered heaven itself. And as the high priest an- 



186 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

nually stood before the mercy-seat, offering holy incense, 
and so pleading for mercy and atonement, the covering 
of the sins of the people, and of his own sins, as the 
mercy-seat covered the law; so Jesus "ever lives to 
make intercession for us." He would cover the sins of the 
world, and reconcile man to God ! 2 Cor, v : 18, 19. How 
faint and feeble and imperfect the type, though the very 
best that could be found ! How glorious and complete 
the antitype, ever present, ever ready, ever abundant in 
merit and mercy, for " all who come to God by him." 

II. The candlestick in the first holy place, the type of 
the church. Placed to the left, as the priests entered 
from the east, it gave abundant light in all that depart- 
ment. They needed no other, and they had no other; 
for the walls, the covering, and the curtains effectually 
shut out the light of day. As there was no light in the 
most holy place, except that which radiated from the di- 
vine presence over the mercy-seat and between the cher- 
ubims, so there was no light in the first holy place, ex- 
cept that which radiated from the golden candlestick. 
If there is any meaning at all in the type, then we have 
no light, or knowledge of Spirit, of God, or how to 
worship him, except by his word. " For the command- 
ment is a lamp ; (or candle, margin) and the law is a 
light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life." 
Prov. vi : 23. Yet the word of God will lighten no one's 
pathway, except as it is understood. 

III. Still in the first holy place, or the church, we 
have, just in front of us, as we enter, and as the first and 
most prominent object, the altar of incense. And we 
have seen (1) that altar means not necessarily an elevated 
structure, but any place of prayer and worship ; (2) that 
it is approached only by the pure and clean; never by the 
unclean or impure; (3) it was in the holy place, and must 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 187 

be in its antitype the church. It was approached, not 
only with " clean hands and pure hearts," but reverent- 
ly, devoutly, humbly. Jesus refers to this in Matt, v : 
23, 24, while addressing his disciples on the Mount: 
" Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar (to any 
place of prayer, or when you are about to pray), and 
there rememberest that thy brother hath ought (or just 
ground of complaint) against thee ; leave there thy gift 
before the altar, and go thy way ; first be reconciled to 
thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." He 
may not be reconciled to you, perhaps, and will not be, 
for the present, if he is at a distance, etc., but you can 
be reconciled to him. That is, you can forgive, and love, 
and be right yourself. This position in the church, or 
first holy place (for this altar is divinely placed there, 
and no man is to remove or change its place !) and this 
condition of mind and heart is necessary to the accept- 
ance of our prayers. David said : " If I regard iniquity 
in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." Ps. lxvi : 18. 
This idea David amplifies in Ps. xv and xxiv. " Who 
shall ascend into the hill of the Lord ? Who shall stand 
in his holy place ? He that hath clean hands and a pure 
heart ; who hath not lifted up his soul to vanity, nor sworn 
deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, 
and righteousness from the God of his salvation." It is 
no matter of surprise to the intelligent, therefore, that 
a very large portion of the prayers offered are not heard. 

IY. The table of shew bread, or presence bread, stood 
to the right, perhaps on a line with the candle stick and 
altar of incense. Several items need to be noted here, 
for no one questions that this was the type of the Lord's 
table in the church. 

1. It was in the first holy place, not in the outer 
court. 



188 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

2. Only the sanctified priests were to eat this bread. 

3. They were to eat it in the tabernacle. 

4. This was a weekly business. Every Sabbath the 
twelve loaves were removed and eaten, and fresh ones 
put in their place. 

5. While we have such a marked point of likeness in 
the weekly eating of bread, we have also a noted point 
of unlikeness in that there were twelve loaves there, and 
but one in the anti-type. All this further intensifies the 
importance of continually observing the rules laid down 
for understanding types and figures of speech. 

6. The priests who neglected the Lord's table in the 
first holy place of the tabernacle could not have the 
smiles and favor of God ; and the Christian priest who 
neglects the Lord's table in the church, on a single 
Lord's day, without a good and sufficient reason, has no 
right to expect the Lord to say, "well done, good and 
faithful servant." And the unfaithfulness of the Jewish 
priests should be a warning to us. They suffered for 
neglect of duty. We will suffer in like manner. God 
has not changed. 

V. Coming east, and into the outer court, we reach 
the Laver. The place it occupies must be carefully ob- 
served. It is not in the first holy place, not in the 
church. It does not, therefore, typify a church ordi- 
nance. It belongs to the outer court. The priests 
washed before entering. Hence Paul says : " Husbands 
love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, 
and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and 
cleanse it with the washing of water, by the word." 
Dr. Clark and Mr. Wesley concur in the idea that we 
should read "having cleansed it with a bath of water 
by the word," i. e., according to the word. Heb. x : 22 
gives even clearer light on one branch of this subject, 



LIVE RELIGIO US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 189 

thus: "Let us," Christian priests, "draw near with a 
true heart, in full assurance of faith, having," or having 
had, " our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and 
our bodies washed with pure water," or simple water, 
not the holy water, or water of separation, Num. xix. 
That water was to purify. Num. viii : 7: "Thus shalt 
thou do unto them to cleanse them : sprinkle water of 
purifying upon them," etc. It was never sprinkled on 
the clean. It was "to cleanse" the unclean. Hence we 
read, 1 Peter i : 2, of " the sprinkling of the blood of 
Jesus Christ." And, also, Heb. xii : 24, of "the blood 
of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of 
Abel." And the explanation is, Acts xv : 9, " Purify- 
ing their hearts by faith." The holy water typified the 
blood of Christ, and as the sprinkling of that water was 
to purify ceremonially, so faith in the anti-type, the 
blood of Christ, purifies [or sprinkles] the heart. Hence 
it is said to be sprinkled with the blood of Christ, put- 
ting the effect, purification, for the cause, sprinkling, a 
metonomy. And this use of this typical water gives 
•force to the expression of Paul, Heb. x : 22, describing 
the water that washed the body, viz : " pure water," 
nothing but water. The preparation for drawing near 
to God was the pure heart and the washed body. With- 
out these no priest could enter the tabernacle. "With- 
out these no one can enter the church, the altar or the 
table of the Lord. (All this will be amplified under 
consecrating the priests.) 

VI. The altar of burnt offerings. This was met on en- 
tering the outer court; and only after offering, or hav- 
ing offered, the required sin offering, could any one ap- 
proach nearer to the holy place. He could not be 
washed, or enter, but for this altar. Christ's sufferings 
"without the gate; " "bearing our sins on his own body 



190 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAT. 

on the cross," is the procuring, or meritorious cause of 
our salvation. Without it we could not be washed, and 
could not enter his holy place, " the church of the living 
God, the pillar and support of the truth." The offering 
of Christ once, being perfect forever, we have no offer- 
ing to make on this altar. We simply accept of Christ 
by faith and obedience, and are forgiven and saved be- 
cause he made the necessary offering for sin, the only 
meritorious offering that could be made, still, if we do 
not accept of it, it will avail us nothing. He died to 
make it possible that God "might be just, and yet the 
justifier of him that believes in Jesus;" (Rom. iii : 26,) 
putting believing for the entire course of obedience. 
For he is the "Author of eternal salvation unto all them 
that obey him," not to the disobedient. Heb. v : 9 ; 2 
Thess. i: 8, 9, 10. "While the altar of incense typified 
devotion, worship, and hence, so much and so constant- 
ly interests us, the altar of burnt offerings interests us, 
bringing to our minds the great sufferings of Christ for 
us; the antitype of all the blood shed under the law. 
Though we have no offering to make on this altar, and 
make none, none is needed, owing to the one offering 
of Christ. (See " the atonement/') 

Now we have before us the tabernacle, its furniture 
and their antitypes. But, in this place, it is important 
to note four other items: 1. The water of separation; 
2. The holy oil ; 3. The consecration of the priests ; 4. 
The duties of the priests; because these were clearly 
typical, and their importance to us is great. 

VII. The ivater of separation. A red heifer without 
blemish, and upon which never came a yoke, was given 
to the priest, and was to be slain without the camp in 
the presence of the priest; and the priest should sprin- 
kle of her blood seven times before the tabernacle; and 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 191 

she should be burned, and the priest should cast into 
the fire cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet; then the ashes 
were preserved. They were put into a vessel and run- 
ning water added to them. This was the holy water, or 
water of separation. Num. xix : 2-22. Its use was, to 
cleanse the unclean. If one had touched a dead body, 
or the bone of a dead man, or had other wise contract- 
ed legal defilement, this water was sprinkled upon him, 
and he was to bathe himself in water, before he could 
be clean. Taking this as a type of the blood, of Christ, 
we have two types of this holy blood. The blood of 
the sacrifices, and this water of separation. And they 
must have needed a great quantity of this holy water. 
See the vast numbers of cattle, beeves and persons kill- 
ed and captured in the destruction of the Midianites, 
Num. xxxi. Then all the warriors had to purify them- 
selves according to the law. See Num. xxxi : 19, 20, 35. 
The ashes of the red heifer had to be kept in quantity 
to make this water of separation. 

This water is referred to in Ezek. xxxvi : 24, 25. Is- 
rael was polluted, and for their sins were sent into Bab- 
ylon. But the Lord appeared to Ezekiel by the river 
Keber, in Babylon, and told him to say to the suffering 
captives: "I will take you from among all the heathen, 
and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you 
into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water 
upon you, and ye shall be clean," etc. Had they been 
purified before they would not have been sent into Bab- 
ylon. Surely they needed purification when they re- 
turned ; and a part of the process of purification is put 
for the whole ; for they were to wash their clothes and 
bathe themselves in water in all such cases, as appears 
in many places in Leviticus and Numbers. Perhaps the 
reason for this water of purification was, that they 



192 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

could not always have blood at hand, while this water 
was ever ready. And then, matters of such infinite im- 
portance well deserved two types; just as the value of 
the kingdom deserved two parables. Matt, xiii: 44, 
45, 46. 

VIII. The holy oil. The Lord said to Moses: "Take 
thou also unto thee principal spices of pure Myrrh, -five 
hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half as much, 
even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet cala- 
mus two hundred and fiity shekels, and of cassia, five 
hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and 
of oil olive an hin." Of this, a holy anoiting oil was 
made — none other was to be. made like it, and it 
was to be used only as directed ; that is, to anoint the 
tabernacle and its furniture, the priests, at their conse- 
cration, etc. This oil was used, it is presumed in anoint- 
ing their kings. David refers to it as an impressive em- 
blem, Ps. xxiii: 5 : "Thou anointest my head with oil, 
my cup runneth over," i. e., with blessings; so Ps. xcii: 
10, etc. 

This is regarded, on all hands, as a most beautiful 
and important type of the Holy Spirit, "which God 
hath given to them that obey him." Acts v : 32. Isa. 
lxi : 1, says God would anoint Christ, and in Luke iv : 
18, Jesus says, " he hath anointed me to preach the gos- 
pel," and hence the Spirit was upon him. For this 
anointing was with the Holy Spirit, the antitype of the 
holy anointing oil in the law of Moses. The servants 
of Christ are also said to be anointed with the same 
Holy Spirit. They are said, also, to be sealed by the 
Holy Spirit. 2 Cor. i: 21, 22: "low he which hath ' 
established us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, 
is God; who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest 
of the Spirit in our hearts." 1 John ii : 20, 27, ad- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 193 

dressed to all Christians about the year A.D. 96, says : 
" But the anointing which ye have received of him 
ahideth in you," etc. See, also, Eph. i: 13; iv : 30: 
"And grieve not the Holy Spirit by which you are 
sealed to the day of redemption." "But ye are not in 
the flesh, hut in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of 
God dwell in you. Isow if any man have not the Spirit 
of Christ, he is none of his." Rom. viii: 9. 

As we cannot have a literal sprinkling of the blood 
of Christ on our hearts, and must, therefore, under- 
stand this to be figurative language, according to the 
rule exemplified on this subject; so we cannot have any 
kind of oil literally poured on our hearts, and hence 
must regard this also as figurative. And when we con- 
aider the subject of the sprinkling of the water of sep- 
aration — to purify; and the object of anointing with 
holy oil to consecrate and seal to God and his service ; 
we are able to understand and admire both the types 
and the antytypes. As every Jewish priest was anoint- 
ed with holy oil, before he could officiate in the taber- 
nacle, so every Christian king and priest must be anoint- 
ed and sealed by the Holy Spirit, the antitype of the 
holy oil, before he can officiate in the Christian taber- 
nacle, or church. 

We are now better prepared to consider the consecra- 
tion of the Jewish priests. 
13 



CHAPTER XIV. 

Consecration of Jewish Priests.— The offerings ; sprinkling on them 
the water of separation— washing thern with water— how this 
holy water was made and used, and its antitype; how they 
washed— never sprinkled or washed the clean, always the un- 
clean, to cleanse them— they were clothed with priestly garments ; 
anointed with holy oil— how it was made, and its antitype, the 
Holy Spirit; the antitypes of these four items make Christian 
priests; qualifications and duties of Jewish priests; Cain and 
Abel— their worship, and why Cain's was not accepted— a lesson 
for us ; priests before Moses— idol priests, etc.— age and personal 
qualifications of Jewish priests ; dress of these priests ; their du- 
ties, to offer sacrifices, teach, take clown, carry and put up the 
tabernacle — a lesson for Christian priests; they aided the gov- 
ernment; application to us; Moses' great mistake; the emolu- 
ments of the priests ; the financial tithings ; the tri-enhial tithings ; 
"the feasts of the Lord" — Sabbath, new moon, the passover, 
feast of weeks, feast of tabernacles — three annual feasts, and 
their antitypes in detail ; conditions on which the offerings of 
Jewish priests were accepted, and the antitype in detail. 

IX. As we consider the different departments, the ar- 
ticles of furniture and their antitypes, we become more 
impressed with the typical nature of almost everything 
about the tabernacle, and our faith must grow with our 
knowedge of the types. But there is no one more strik- 
ing or important than the manner in which Aaron and 
his sons first, and then the Levites, were consecrated to 
the service of the tabernacle. Let us carefully note what 
was done on this important occasion. This is found 
Exodus 29th chapter and 40th chapter; Leviticus 8th 
chapter; Numbers 8th chapter. 

As the bullock and two rams, and the accompanying 
sacrifices have their antitype in Christ, we need not enum- 
erate them here. 

(194) 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE BAY. 195 

1. The spinlding of the water of separation upon them. 
It is said of the Levites, Num. viii: 7: "Tims slialt 
thou do unto them to cleanse them, sprinkle wat- 
er of purifying upon them." And we have seen, 
from Xuin. xix, and other Scriptures, the recipe for 
making this holy water of separation, and that it was 
sprinkled on the people to cleanse them. It was never 
sprinkled on a clean person or thing. We have seen, 
too, how this type of the blood of Christ is referred to 
in the New Testament, %. e., that it was sprinkled on the 
heart to purify the heart; the heart being purified by 
faith in the blood of Christ, is called the sprinkling of 
the blood of Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. i: 2; Heb. x: 22. 
Aaron and his sons needed this purification as much as 
the Levites; they all needed it. Hence, we conclude 
that it was sprinkled on them also. But this purifica- 
tion was not all that was done in the type, and it is not 
all that must be done in the antitype. 

2. In the presence of all the congregation Moses 
washed them with water. Dr. Young's translation says, 
" bathe them with water." The Bible society transla- 
tion of 1849, says, "bathe them in water." When one 
had a running issue, and was cured, before he should 
come into the assembly, he should " number to himself 
seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and 
bathe his flesh in running water." Lev. xv: 13. Four 
times in this chapter is it said "he shall bathe himself 
in water;" but only once do we Tead that this should 
be in running water. Running water was to be put on 
the ashes of the red heifer,. to make the holy water of sep- 
aration. Num. xix : 17. All the unclean, after having 
the holy water sprinkled on them, were to wash or 
bathe themselves in water; frequently they were to shave- 
off all their hair, and wash or bathe themselves in water. 



196 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

Lev. xvi : 20 : Num. xix : 19 ; Lev. xiv : 8. When run- 
ning water was to be used, we know the reference 
cannot be to the water in the laver. It was not neces- 
sarily running water when it was put into the laver, and 
afterwards could not be. Running water must refer to 
a running stream. 

Still, in all this, we have no direct reference to the 
manner in which they washed or bathed. The washing 
was clearly of the body, however. This is repeatedly 
stated. And we have one case showing how they obey- 
ed the command to bathe or wash themselves. 2 Kings 
v : 8-15. The command of Elisha was strictly accord- 
ing to the law, (except he said seven times,) "go wash 
in Jordan seven times." Naaman went and dipped 
himself seven times in Jordan, and was cured. This 
was, therefore, at least, an acceptable way of washing 
or bathing himself. The most learned Jewish Rabbis, 
as MeMonidese, say this was their uniform way of obey- 
ing this command. The word for baptism is used here, 
and is rendered "dipped himself; " as it is in Lev. xiv : 
16, etc. What a misfortune that the king's translators 
were not so faithful to the original in the New Testa- 
ment ! 

That the antitype of this washing, as a part of the 
consecration of Jewish priest, is Christian baptism, is 
not a question with any one; and hence need not be 
proved here. It is important, however, that it shall be 
held carefully in memory. 

And it is a fact, that Christian baptism is, in the New 
Testament, often called a washing, a washing of the 
body in pure water, or simple water, and it is called 
a bath. See Eph. v : 25, 26 : " Husbands love your wives, 
even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself 
for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the wash- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 197 

ing of water by the word/' or, according to the word. 
Mr. Wesley renders this: "having cleansed it with a 
bath of water by the word." Heb. x: 22: "Let ns 
draw near to God in full assurance of faith, having [or 
having had] our hearts sprinkled [or purified] from an 
evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." 
1 Cor. vi: 11, after referring to the worst characters, 
says : "And such were some of you : but ye are washed, 
but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name 
of the Lord. Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." 

The only difference noted between the ordinary Jew- 
ish washing, or bathing, in order to cleansing, and 
Christian baptism is, that there they washed or bathed 
themselves, as Xaaman did: "go wash yourself in Jor- 
dan." This was a self-baptism. And this was not the 
order at the consecration or ordination of the priests; 
for we distinctly read that Moses was to wash them. 
Ex. xxix : 4; Lev. viii : 6. If, therefore, one would be 
consecrated to the Christian priesthood, he must be 
washed, and this washing is performed by dipping. 

3. They were to have put on them the holy priestly gar- 
ments. "And Moses brought Aaron and his sons and 
washed them with water. And he put upon him the 
coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him 
with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he 
girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and 
bound it unto him therewith," etc. "And thou shalt 
bring his sons, and put coats upon them. And thou 
shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and 
put the bonnets upon them," etc. Ex. xxix : 8, 9. 

In the antitype, the Christian priest is commanded : 
" Take unto you the whole armor of God." " Put on 
the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand." 
Eph. vi : 11, 13. And while it is the duty of each one 



198 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

to "put this on," or " take it unto himself," there is 
meaning in this item in the type, viz.: Moses clothed 
the priests. Should not the evangelists and elders put 
this armor on the new converts, i. e., teach them their 
Christian duties, and in every way possible, aid them in 
being fully clothed, armed and equipped for the Chris- 
tian life ? 

4. They ivere anointed with the holy oil. Ex. xxix : 7 : 
" Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it 
upon his head, and anoint him." Ex. xxx : 30 : "And 
thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate 
them, that they may minister to me in the priest's office." 
The tabernacle and all its furniture were anointed with 
the same holy oil, to set them apart to their special 
service. 

This holy oil, as was shown while describing the 
things belonging to the tabernacle, was a type of the 
Holy Spirit. So all commentators and critics agree. 
As Aaron and his sons were anointed with this holy 
oil at their consecration to the Jewish priesthood; so 
Christian priests are anointed with the Holy Spirit at 
their consecration to the service of Christ, Hence, Pet- 
er, at the beginning, promised the gift of the Holy Spir- 
it to those who repented and were baptized. Acts ii : 38 ; 
i. <?., the Holy Spirit as a gift; a comforter. And its 
reception is called a sealing. Eph. i: 13; iv : 30: "Ye 
were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is an 
earnest of our inheritance," etc. "And grieve not the 
Holy Spirit of God whereby you are sealed unto the 
day of redemption." Sealed with, and sealed by the 
Holy Spirit of promise. 2 Cor. i : 22 : "Who hath also 
sealed us, and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our 
hearts." See 2 Tim. ii: 19. This Spirit was in the 
promises as well as in the types. See Luke xxiv : 49. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 199 

"And behold I send the promise of my Father upon 
you : but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be 
endued with power from on high." Isa. xliv : 3; Joel 
ii: 38: "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will 
pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh," i. e., the Jews and 
the Gentiles. John xiv : 16, 26 ; xv : 26 ; xvi : 7; Acts 
i: 4; ii : 1, etc. He saw the disciples full of sorrow, 
and said to them : " I will not leave you comfortless," 
or orphans ; without a comforter. Hence he added : 
" And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you an- 
other comforter that lie may abide with you forever." 
Jesus was about to leave them, but the promised com- 
forter should never leave them, and should be better 
than his personal presence. This must be the meaning 
of — " It is good for you that I go away, for if I go not 
away the comforter will not come." " Whom the world 
cannot receive." The world could receive both Jesus 
and his word, but they could not receive this Holy Para- 
clete. Some would apply all these promises to the apostles 
alone, because they were given to them personally ; but 
really no more than all the other promises, laws and or- 
dinances were given to them personally — for the church. 
Hence, we need to distinguish between the miraculous 
gifts of the Holy Spirit, given to the apostles and a few 
others, and the Holy Spirit as a comforter promised to 
every disciple, to all flesh, i. e., the Jews and the Gen- 
tiles. And we read, Acts v : 32 : " And we are witnesses 
of these things ; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom 
God hath given to them that obey him." John vii : 39 : 
"But this spake he of the Spirit which they that be- 
lieve on him should receive." This means all who be- 
lieve on him; and it was the Spirit, and not a miracu- 
lous gift of the Spirit. It was to be received and was 
sent. Hence, it could not be our spirits purified. "We 



200 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

do not receive them on our obedience to Christ. " To 
them that obey him," means to all that obey him. And 
just before his ascent to heaven, " he breathed on them, 
and saith unto them, receive ye the Holy Ghost." John 
xx : 22. This was literally keeping his promise that he 
would not leave them comfortless. And this referred 
not to the miraculous power of the Spirit. This mirac- 
ulous power was given a few days afj:er this — on Pente- 
cost : Acts 2nd. chapter. " In your body and in your 
spirit," 1 Cor. vi : 20, distinguishes man's spirit. The 
other references are to God's Spirit. And 1 John iii : 
24, says : "And hereby we know that he abideth in us, 
by the Spirit which he hath given us." This was said 
to all Christians living A.D. 90. God had given to ev- 
ery one of them his Spirit. Hence Gal. iv : 6, reads : 
"And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the 
Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." 
This could not be man's spirit purified. It was sent 
forth from God, because their spirits were purified. 
And, therefore, Paul says, Kom. viii : 9 : " Nov/ if any 
man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his." 
This might safely close this testimony, but the subject is 
of the gravest magnitude, and more may be added. 

Kom. viii : 9, 11, " The Spirit dwells in you ; " and 
our bodies are to be raised " by his Spirit which dwell- 
eth in you." This dwelling was literal, actual. No one 
can " dwell " in any place by proxy. It is a personal 
dwelling, therefore; and by that divine person which 
dwells, lives, abides in us, our bodies are to be raised 
up and immortalized. Surely this cannot be the work 
of man's spirit, however purified. The church was 
built for "a habitation of God through the Spirit." 
Eph. ii : 22, just as the tabernacle was inhabited by God 
through the pillar of cloud and fire. 



LIVE REL1G10 US ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 201 

1 Cor. vi: 19: " Know you not that your body is the 
temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which you 
have of God, and you are. not your own." And, Rom. 
v : 5 : " The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts 
by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." And the 
holy anointing oil was the chosen type of this Holy 
Spirit; as the holy water, and the blood of the sacri- 
fices were types of the blood of Christ, etc. 

QUALIFICATIONS AND DUTIES OF JEWISH PRIESTS. 

Gen. iv : 3, 45, tells us of Cain and Abel and the first for- 
mal priestly offering. This is the first detail of formal wor- 
ship, and must be of great interest on this account. 

"And in process of time it came to pass that, Cain 
brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the 
Lord. And Abel, he also brought the firstlings of his 
flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect 
unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain and his 
ofl'ering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, 
and his countenance fell." Several items should be 
noted here : 

1. Cain and Abel "brought" offerings. This implies 
a place of worship. 

2. It implies that it was not a new thing to worship 
God by sacrifices, though we have no previous detailed 

, account of anything of the kind. They had probably 
seen their father do so, and he, doubtless had prepared 
the place. All such places of worship by sacrifice were 
afterwards called altars. 

3. It implies that Abel's offering was by faith, and ac- 
cording to God's command. And so we read, Heb. xi : 
4: " By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacri- 
fice than Cain." He must, therefore, have had instruc- 
tion, and evidence, or it could not have been "by faith." 



202 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

Where there is no evidence there can be no faith. 

4. All this implies that Cain had no instruction, com- 
mand or evidence as to bringing the fruit of the ground, 
and was serving his own convenience only, when he did 
so ; and hence was not accepted. God accepts the wor- 
ship he requires ; not anything and everything man may 
choose to bring or do. Long after this God did require 
the fruit of the ground; and/then it was accepted. Ex. 
xxii : 29; Pro v. iii : 9. It seems probable that Cain's 
heart was not right ; and this might have hindered the 
acceptance of his offering ; but his having no command 
or direction to bring the fruit of the ground was suffi- 
cient to cause its rejection. Had his heart been right 
he would have obeyed the command, as Abel did. 

5. It implies that, unless God has changed, he will not 
accept of worship now which he has not commanded or 
directed. Here we have a great lesson for all who would 
worship God acceptably. Worship cannot be by faith, 
unless we have authority for faith ; and without faith it 
cannot be acceptable. It is will worship, and as dis- 
pleasing to God as it is unprofitable to man. See Col. 
ii : 18-23. Will worship is self-imposed worship, the in- 
vention of man. This was Cain's worship. 

When Jacob left Laban, and Laban followed him, it 
is said, on their separation, Gen. xxxi: 54: "Then Ja- 
cob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his breth- 
ren to eat bread; and they did eat bread, and tarried all 
night in the mount." This was patriarchal worship. The 
other case was individual worship. And so, for about 
twenty-five hundred years individuals and families wor- 
shiped. 

The first formal altar we read of was built by Noah, 
when he came out of the ark, B.C. 2348. Gen. viii : 20. 
"And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord, and took of 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 203 

every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered 
burnt offerings on the altar." This was acceptable to 
God. V. 21. Gen. xii : 7. There Abraham built an 
altar to the Lord. Gen. xxxv : 1, Jacob built an altar 
at Bethel. Gen. xvii : 15, after the battle with Amalek, 
" Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jeho- 
vah-nissi ;" i. e., " the Lord my banner." So worshiped 
Abraham, Laban, Isaac, etc. 

There were priests in the idol worship in the days of 
Joseph in Egypt. Gen. xlvii : 27. But we read of no 
formally-appointed, or special priests in the divine wor- 
ship, till the Aaronic priesthood. At Mount Sinai, be- 
fore the covenant was ratified, Moses " builded an altar 
under the hill." And he sent young men of the chil- 
dren of Israel, which offered burnt offerings and sacri- 
ficed peace offerings of oxen unto the Lord." Ex. xxiv : 
4. When the covenant was ratified, then God chose 
Aaron and his sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Itha- 
mar, to be priests, (Ex. xxviii: 1), and the priestly office 
ever afterwards belonged to them, and to their sons. 
'•And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they 
shall wait on the priest's office, and the stranger that 
cometh nigh shall be put to death." Num.iii : 10. God 
would punish those who interfered with his order of 
worship. 

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD PRIEST. 

President Milligan says : " The Hebrew word for priest 
is of doubtful etymology. The English word is gener- 
ally supposed to be a contraction of presbyter {presbute- 
ros) ; but there can be no doubt that the native power 
of this word differs essentially from that of the Hebrew. 
The meaning of the word will, therefore, be best under- 
stood from the duties and functions of the office." 



204 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

Webster derives "priest" from "presbyter,". and says 
it means an " elder," " who is authorized to consecrate 
the host," etc. 

"New ' presbyter ' is but old priest writ large." — Miltov. 
But it never meant what is now meant by preacher or 
evangelist. Scriptural evangelists are not the antitypes 
of the Jewish priests. Paul's definition is better : " Ev- 
ery priest taken from among men is ordained for men 
in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both 
gifts and sacrifices for sins." Heb. v : 1. Hence, all 
Christians are priests, and are so denominated. 1 Pet. 
ii : 5 ; Rev. i : 6, etc. Christ is our high priest. Heb. 
vii : 17 ; ix : 11, 12, 24, 25. Christians are sons of the 
high priest; And as Christ is clearly the antitype of 
the high priest under the law, so Christians are the an- 
titypes of the sons of the Jewish high priests. There 
is no room in the Christian system for any other priests 
or priesthood. Christ can have no successor, since he 
" ever lives." His one offering of himself was a perpetual 
sufficiency for the earth, and he ever lives in heaven to 
plead for us. . There can, therefore, be no place for the 
pope or his high priests. Christians are all children of 
God, and heirs of immortality. "All ye are brethren." 
No one is to lord it over another. Hence, the only offi- 
cers in the church are appointed to perform clearly-de- 
fined works, all of which are as different from the 
Jewish priests as are their names from the names of the 
Aaronic priesthood. Settle it, then, that on earth there 
can be no priests except as all Christians are alike 
" Kings and priests to God and our Father," and the 
claims of others who would be antitypical priests are 
entirely without foundation. The claim of preachers 
to be antitypes of the Aaronic priests was in the first 
apostasy, second century, and it is now in our apostasy, 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 205 

AGE AND PERSONALITIES OE JEWISH PRIESTS. 

The Levites were to be thirty years old to enter the 
office ; and at fifty they were to go out. Num. iv : 3. 
In Num. viii: 24, the Levites were to enter upon, and 
aid the priests at twenty-five years of age. 1 Chron. xxiii : 
3, 24, 27, the Levites were to enter on the service at 
twenty years old. But they were in the attitude of aids, 
or apprentices, and only entered on the priest's office re- 
ally when they were thirty. At least this is the com- 
mon understanding, and seems to he the correct one. 

Two points especially, already noted, should, perhaps, 
have more attention here: 

1. It is a fact that, with all our care, we may he too con- 
fident, and may use too strong language in stating our 
conclusions ; e. g. : While it is not specifically said of the 
high priest and his sons, the priests, that they became 
priests at thirty years of age, and ceased to officiate at 
fifty, w^e conclude that they did, because this is plainly 
said of the Kohathites and others. See Num. iv : 34- 
43. The service of the Kohathites was next in sacred- 
ness and importance to that of the priests. Some of the 
Levites entered on the service of the tabernacle at twen- 
ty-five, and some of them at twenty, as has been shown. 
And, although the sons of Aaron were the priests, and 
the rest of the Levites the servants and helpers of the 
priests, (Num. viii: 19; Num. iv: 22, 29, 30,) we con- 
clude that they often offered sacrifices, and did almost 
everything the priests did ; because it is said they were 
to " do service," and " minister in the tabernacle; " (see 
the verses already cited and the references;) and because 
it is said that they helped the priests in the sacrifices ; 2 
Chron. xxix : 34; xxxv : 11; and especially because we 
have this plain language concerning the Levites, 1 Chron. 
xxiii : 26-30 : " Because their office was to wait on the 



206 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the Lord, 
ill the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying 
of all holy things, and the work of the service of the 
house of God; both for the shew bread and for the line 
flour for meat offerings, and for the unleavened cakes, 
and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that 
which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size; 
and to stand every morning to thank and praise the 
Lord, and likewise at even ; and to offer all burnt sacri- 
fices unto the Lord in the Sabbaths, in the new moons, 
and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order 
commanded unto them, continually before the Lord," etc. 

What more could the priests do ? Yet the Levites, 
as a class, were servants and helpers of the priests; but 
they did the work. 

2. The claim is set up now by many Roman, Greek and 
Protestant preachers, to sacerdotal or priestly rights and 
powers. So long as this is yielded, the church will virt- 
ually belong to the clergy, and will be ruled by them. 
Read the following, p. 972, Brown's Encyclopedia of 
Religious Knowledge, made up from many celebrated 
authors : 

"But sacerdotal dignities are never ascribed to Christian presbyters, 
and the principles in which the appropriation originated may be evi- 
dently traced to the working of that anti-christian power which pro- 
duced at length 'the mystery of iniquity and the man of sin.' 

"The conclusions involved in this argument are subversive of all 
those 'high church' pretensions which, in more than one hierarchy, 
have been immediate sources of arrogant and unholy dominion. The 
doctrine of prerogatives, whether regal or pontifical, has been for ages 
upheld by the advocates of despotism on most indefensible grounds ; 
and the ' divine right ' by which kings reign and priests lord it over 
God's heritage, has been indebted for its main support to the same 
assumption and analogy ! Judaizing, in one form or another, has 
been the {proton-psendo*) first delusion under the dispensation of Him 
who was ' meek and lowlv of heart.' The first disciples required spe- 
cial illumination to emancipate their minds from the secular spirit 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 207 

they had imbibed. The first errors that troubled the churches and 
perverted the gospel arose from the notion of amalgamating Judaism 
with Christianity. The decree of ' the apostles, and elders, and breth- 
ren,' though ' it seemed good to the Holy Ghost,' did not eradicate the 
tendency that led to the ' beggarly elements ' of the abolished econ- 
omy. One of the earliest indications of the rising spirit of anti- 
christ appeared in the principle that made one class of ministers su- 
perior to another, and found its convenient prototype in the high 
priest's supremacy. The analogy led to its consummation by most 
appropriate [or cunning] encroachments, till one bishop became the 
supreme pontiff, and the imagined resemblance was complete. Ju- 
daizing is the basis of Protestant hierarchies ; and the Old Testament, 
abused and perverted, furnishes the principal sources, both of the 
illustrations and the authority, by which the mighty operations of 
ecclesiastical polity and priestly dominion is supported. See Strat- 
ten's Book of the Priesthood ; Howitt on Priestcraft ; Dwight's The- 
ology ; Cong. Mag., Feb. 1831.— Calmet; Hend. Buck." 

Xever was anything better put or more certainly true. 
The preachers, basing their claims on the ancient priest- 
hood, brought about the first terrible apostasy in the 
church. The preachers are causing Protestants to apos- 
tatize now on the same false grounds. Some of them 
also claim a direct and special call, and the mass of the 
people do not like to resist and oppose such pretensions, 
and will not, unless they understand the Xew Testament 
teaching. Those who, more than others, seem to glory 
in their claim to follow " the Bible alone," are largely 
following the preachers almost " alone !" 

Preachers are grand agents for the promotion of truth. 
Xo one class of people can do so much. Bat when they 
assume sacerdotal and ruling power, when they assume 
to bef English "clergymen " or American " pastors," they 
corrupt the worship, pervert the Scriptures, become lords 
instead of servants of the church, as Paul was, and en- 
slave their brethren, their equals, instead of enlarging 
their divine freedom and promoting their usefulness and 
happiness. Jesus said: " Ye have one Father, God ; and 



208 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

all ye are brethren." "Be not servants of men;" " call 
no man master; " i. e., teacher. And he referred to just 
such masters and teachers as modern clergy preachers. 
[See the duties of preachers elsewhere in this work.] 

The priests were to be without blemish. Lev. xxi : 
17-21. They must have no blemish ; as blindness, lame- 
ness, flat nose, or anything superfluous. They must not 
be broken-footed, or broken-handed, or crooked-backed, 
or dwarfs, etc. 

The priests were to be of the tribe of Levi. Others 
might be more capable and more desirable, but even 
King Uzziah could not offer incense. 2 Chron, xxvi : 
18: " It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn in- 
cense unto the Lord, but to the priests, the sons of 
Aaron." I Sam. xiii : 8-15. Saul "forced" himself, 
and " offered a burnt offering;" but he lost his kingdom 
for his presumption and disobedience. 

Their moral integrity and capacity were safely pre- 
sumed from their age and freedom from all blemishes 
and imperfections. 

THE DRESS OF THE PEIESTS. 

See Ex. xxviii : 40-43. They were to have coats, 
girdles, and bonnets," for glory and beauty," and white 
linen breeches, to cover their nakedness, " to reach from 
the loins to the thighs." See liev. xix : 8. The " right- 
eousness of the saints " is here, as elsewhere, indicated 
by the " linen garments clean and white." White is 
and has been in all ages and countries the emblem of 
purity. The priests were, therefore, to be a pure and 
holy people. 

Besides the ordinary priestly garments, the high priest, 
when in full dress, wore four other golden adornments, 
viz. : 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 209 

1. The robe of the Ephdd. Ex. xxviii : 31-35 ; xxxix : 
22-26. 

2. The Ephocl. Ex. xxviii : 6-14 ; xxix : 2-7. 

3. The breastplate of judgment. On this was en- 
graved the names of the twelve tribes. In it were the 
urim and thummim. Ex. xxviii : 15-30. 

4. The plate of gold. On this was inscribed " Holi- 
ness to the Lord." Ex. xxviii : 36-38 ; xxix : 30. See 
also Ps. xciii : 5; Zech. xiv: 20, 21. 

As a further indication of the purity of the priests, 
they were not to marry a woman of ill-fame, or one di- 
vorced. Lev. xxi : 7, 8. The high priest was to marry 
only a virgin of good report, from a family of his own 
people. Lev. xxi: 13-15. 

THE DUTIES OF THE PRIESTS. 

These were numerous, and of great variety. Assisted 
by the Levites, they were : 

I. To offer sacrifices, burn incense, and perform all the 
other service peculiar to the tabernacle. Ex. xxvii : 20, 
21; xxx : 1-10. See Lev. i: 5-17; Luke i: 9; Heb. 
viii: 4; x: 11; Num. iii : 5-10; iv: 4-15; xviii : 1-7, 
and the references. 

II. They were to teach the people, and to act in all 
respects as God's messengers of mercy, and as examples 
for others. Lev. x: 8-11; Jer. ii : 8 ; Mai. ii : 1-9, 
Luke x : 31, 32. Their manner of teaching was princi- 
pally reading the law, and brief comments. (See " Read- 
ing the Law," with references and exemplifications.) 

III. The priests should take down, carry, and put up 
the tabernacle. In Num. iv: 5-17, we read full instruc- 
tions for taking down and bearing, or carrying the tab- 
ernacle. See Ex. xxv : 13-15; xxxvii : 5, 14, 15, 27; 
xxxviii : 7. Here we see the rings and bars for carry - 

14 



210 LIVE RELIG10 US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 

ing the ark, the table, the altars, etc. Ex. xl tells of put- 
ting up the tabernacle. In Num. vii : 2-10 we read of 
six wagons and twelve oxen. Two wagons and four 
oxen were given to the sons of Gershon, and four wag- 
ons and eight oxen were given to the sons of Merari. 
"But (v. 9) the sons of Kohath he gave none; because 
the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was, 
that they should bear upon their shoulders. See Num. 
iv : 15. These wagons "were to do the service of the 
tabernacle of the congregation." (v. 5.) But " the 
sanctuary " was to be carried on the shoulders of the 
sons of Kohath. "And when Aaron and his sons have 
made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the ves- 
sels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward ; 
after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it; but 
they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die." 
Num. iv : 15. 

We see, then, why God smote Uzzah at " the thresh- 
ing-floor of Nachan, when the oxen stumbled, and Uz- 
zah put forth his hand to the ark of God." 1. It should 
have been carried on the shoulders of the sons of Ko- 
hath, not put on a cart. 2. It was not to be touched, 
even by the sons of Kohath; It was carried by bars in 
rings. 3. Uzzah and Ahio, who drove the cart, were 
not sanctified. See 1 Chron. xv: 2-15. During the 
three months the ark remained in the house of Obede- 
dom David learned how the ark should be treated, and 
when they proceeded according to law, they were blessed. 
lie says to the priests : " For because ye did it not at 
the first, the Lord our God made a breach upon us, for 
that we sought him not after the due order. So the 
priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up 
the ark of the Lord God of Israel. And the children of 
the Levites bear the ark of God upon their shoulders 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 211 

with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according 
to the word of the Lord." (Verses 13, 14, 15.) What 
a lesson for those now who imagine they may serve God 
any way they please, so they are sincere ! David and 
these people were evidently sincere when Uzzah was 
smitten ; but they were not proceeding " after the due 
order." God's law is sacred, and must he regarded. 
Pause and note the examples here given. 

IV. The priests had much to do with the judiciary de- 
partment of the government. In Lev. xxvii: 8,12,15, 
19, 23, 27, we have in detail their appraising, or valuing 
many things. "As thou valuest it who art the priest, so 
shall it he." v. 12. They judged the value of proper- 
ty. And the Levites had forty-eight cities with their sub- 
urbs, six of which were cities of refuge, where one who 
slew his neighbor might flee, and be protected from " the 
avenger of blood" till he "stood before the congrega- 
tion " for judgment. If he was guilty, he was punished ; 
if he was not, he remained in the city of refuge till the 
death of the high priest. And when such an one pre- 
sented himself at the gate of one of these cities of 
refuge, and declared his cause, the elders should re- 
ceive him, etc. This implies government by the elders, 
which was common in other cities. The murderer 
being "brought before the congregation" for judg- 
ment, is not explained fully. Evidently the elders, 
who were all priests in these cities, probably retired 
priests ; i. e., priests over fifty,) were prominent in these 
trials, and they decided the cases. The priests, there- 
fore, at least in these instances, judged in cases of life 
and death. See Num. xxxv ; Deut. iv ; 41 ; Josh, xx : 
2, 7, 8 ; xxi : 3-38. 

"We know that the priests exercised judicial authority 
very largely on many occasions. See Samuel, Eli, and 



212 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

others. The judges of Israel were not always priests, 
but they were in many instances ; and when others were 
judges the high priest especially was consulted, and ex- 
ercised a very great influence in the government. We 
are not so much concerned, however, about the high 
priest in this investigation, because we have on earth 
no high priest now. Our high priest is in heaven. We 
have only the antitype of the sons of the high priest, 
i.e., Christians; and the great purpose in these lessons 
is, to learn their duties, etc. Let us not speculate, but 
earnestly inquire for our duty now. To this all these in- 
quiries are directed. No Christian should feel uneasy 
about the duties of the high priest. They will be faith- 
fully performed, whether we understand them or not. 
And they have no antitype on earth. We need not fear 
as to the work of the Holy Spirit, either. That will be 
faithfully done. Our understanding all about it will be 
of little importance. Nor need we concern ourselves 
about the " deep things of God before the foundation of 
the world." We should feel assured that the "Judge of 
all the earth will do right." This is enough. But we 
do need to be concerned about our personal duty. A wise 
writer said he feared nothing, except that he might fail 
to understand, or do his duty. A great general said to 
his son : " Duty is the sublimest word in our language." 
From the investigation as to the duties of the Aaronic 
priests, four things are abundantly apparent : 

1. That the sons of the Jewish high priests were types 
for Christians ; i. e., that Christians are the antitypes of 
the sons of Aaron and their descendants. 

2. That they had peculiar and specific duties to per- 
form. 

3. That on the faithful performance of these duties 
depended their safety and happiness, and also the safety 



LIVE RELIGIOrS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 213 

and prosperity of those for whom they ministered. In- 
deed, the whole world, in all ages, were interested in 
their faithfulness. 

4. That so far as they were faithful, they and others 
were blessed ; and so far as they failed of duty, they and 
others suffered. This last item needs exemplification. 

(1.) Ex. xxxii tells us of the sin of Aaron in making 
the golden calf, and the death of three thousand people 
as a resnlt, and great discouragement to all the people. 

(2.) The rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, who 
secured two hundred and fifty princely followers, and who 
were swallowed up in the earth. Num. xvi. This is a 
fearful example of priestly unfaithfulness. The whole 
congregation suffered by this. 

(3.) While Samuel was yet a boy, and Eli was old, a 
man of God came to Eli to tell him of his errors in the 
management of his sons, etc., and that he would cause 
him to suffer. "For them that honor me will I honor, 
and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed." See 
1 Sam. ii : 30, and all that chapter and the next. Then 
see 1 Sam. iv : 16,»17, and read : "And the messenger an- 
swered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and 
there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, 
and thy two sons, Hophni and Phineas, are dead, and 
the ark of God is taken ! " And Eli fell over and died. 
See also 1 Kings ii: 27. Surely God punishes sin ! 

Every careful Bible reader knows that many cases of un- 
faithfulness on the part of the priests might be noted here, 
and that this unfaithfulness was terribly punished, as a 
warning to others. So, too, the unfaithfulness of the 
judges, kings, and of all people, is noted " for our admo- 
nition." 1 Cor. x : 6, 11. " Now these things were our 
examples (types) to the intent we should not lust after 
evil things as they also lusted." " Now all these things," 



214 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

(the evils they suffered for disobedience) " happened to 
them for ensamples (types), and they are written for our 
admonition." Paul said this to Gentile Christians and 
all the saints in A.D. 59. See 1 Cor. i : 1. Surely these 
examples are for us. This is Paul's explanation of the 
type. So, too, he writes Hebrews, third and fourth 
chapters, as examples for us. 

Will we, then, be warned ? or will we, after all these 
admonitions and warnings, go on in disobedience ? And, 
remember, neglect of duty is disobedience. If under 
Moses, " every transgression and disobedience received 
a just recompense of reward, how shall we escape if we 
neglect so great salvation ; which at the first began to be 
spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by them 
that heard him." Heb. ii: 23. Transgression is passing 
over, or trampling upon the law ; as when God says, 
" let no corrupt communication proceed out of your 
mouth," and we not only use slang phrases, vulgar and 
corrupting words, but even blaspheme the name of God ! 
Disobedience is non-obedience; as when Paul says, " not 
forsaking the assembling of yourselves together, as the 
manner of some is, but exhorting one another ; and so 
much the more as ye see the day approaching," Heb. x : 
25. Are we disobedient to this; that is, do we neglect as- 
sembling ourselves together, and do we neglect to exhort 
one another ? With all these recorded examples of un- 
faithfulness, which so much abound in the Bible, how 
can the unfaithful presume to hope that they can escape ? 
They have not the least ground for hope. It is vanity, 
and will be a vexation of spirit forever ! 

MOSES' GREAT MISTAKE AS A WARNING. 

If there ever was a man with whom God would be 
patient and forbearing, that man was Moses. " Now the 



LIVE REL1GI0 US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 215 

man Moses was very meek, above all the men that were 
upon the face of the earth." Num. xii : 3. 

Before Moses had reached Mt. Sinai with his people, 
while they were in Eephidim, they murmured for water, 
and the Lord directed Moses to go on before the people, 
taking with him some of the elders and his rod ; and 
"behold I will stand before thee there upon the rock in 
Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall 
come water out of it, that the people may drink. And 
Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel." Ex. 
xvii : 5, 6. This was well ; for Moses did just what God 
told him, and no more. 

But some twenty years or more afterwards, while they 
were in Kadesh, there was no water again, and the peo- 
ple "chode with Moses." "And the Lord spake unto 
Moses, saying, take the rod, and gather thou the assem- 
bly together, thou and Aaron, thy brother, and speak ye to 
the rock before their eyes ; and it shall give forth his wa- 
ter, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the 
rock." * * * "And Moses lifted up his hand, and 
with his rod the smote he rock twice ; and the water 
came out abundantly," etc. His smiting the rock twice 
was not commanded. He was not told to smite it even 
once on this occasion, though he was directed to smite it 
before; he was only told to speak to the rock. He had 
made another mistake, which is recorded thus : " Hear 
ye now, ye rebels ; must we fetch you water out of this 
rock?" Num. xx : 1-11. Mose's did more than was 
commanded, and took to himself and Aaron some of the 
honor which belonged to God alone. These were griev- 
ous errors. "And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, 
because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of 
the children of Israel, therefore, ye shall not bring this 
congregation into the land which I have given them." 



216 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

Num. xx : 12 ; Deut. xxxii : 50-52. Moses and Aaron 
both died in the wilderness. What an example of pun- 
ishment for unfaithfulness! And if God would treat 
Moses and Aaron so, how will he treat us if we are un- 
faithful? 

Moses was very desirous to go over and see the prom- 
ised land, and said : " I pray thee, let me go over and see 
the good land that is beyond Jordan and Lebanon. But 
the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes, and would 
not hear me ; and the Lord said to me, let it suffice thee ; 
speak no more to me of this matter. Get thee up into 
the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and 
southward, and eastward, and behold with thine eyes ; 
for thou shalt not go over this Jordan." Deut. iii : 25- 
27. See also Deut. i : 27 ; iv : 21 ; ix : 20. God had for- 
given Moses, and loved him, as God only can love ; but 
he must make an example of him, to warn the children 
of Israel and all succeeding generations, lest they sin 
and suffer for it. Let them not close their eyes, or re- 
fuse to profit by these examples. God has not changed. 
If he punished sin then, in his best friends, he will pun- 
ish it now. 

THE EMOLUMENTS OF THE PRIESTS. 

The division of the tribe of Joseph into Ephraim and 
Manasseh, left twelve tribes without the Levites. The 
Levites were taken instead of all the first-born, and were 
devoted to the service of the tabernacle. " Because all 
the first-born are mine: for on the day that I smote all 
the first-born in the land of Egypt, I hallowed unto me all 
the first-born in Israel, both man and beast, mine they 
shall be ; I am the Lord." Num. iii ; 13. See also Ex. xiii : 
11, 12 ; Deut. xv : 19, 20. Of course this tribe must live. 
They did not share with the twelve tribes in the division 
of the promised land, but they had given to them, out 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 217 

of the portions allotted to the others, forty-eight cities 
and their suburbs, two thousand cubits on each side from 
the walls of the cities. See Num. xxxv : 1-9, etc.; and 
Joshua, 21st chapter. Aaron and his family were the 
priests ; the rest of the Levites were helpers in the serv- 
ice of the tabernacle. The priests had thirteen cities ; 
the rest of the family of the Kohathites had ten cities ; 
the children of Gershon had thirteen cities ; and the chil- 
dren of Merari had twelve cities. These cities, with 
their villages and suburbs for stock, were a rich posses- 
sion. Out of these forty-eight cities six were cities of 
refuge. When the suburbs are given as a thousand cu- 
bits only, it may be that what they called the sacred cubit 
is meant, " the cubit of the sanctuary," which was double 
the ordinary cubit. 

The second emolument of the priests was, the first- 
born. " Everything that openeth the matrix in all flesh, 
which they bring unto the Lord, whether it be of men 
or of beasts, shall be thine ; nevertheless, the first-born 
of men shalt thou surely redeem, and the first-born of 
unclean beasts shalt thou redeem." Num. xviii : 15. 
This was a very rich endowment. 

A third very rich reenue for the priests was, the heave 
offerings : "All the heave offerings of the holy things, 
which the children of Israel offer to the Lord, have I 
given unto thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with 
thee, by a statute forever." Num. xviii: 19. These 
heave offerings were very numerous, and might be eaten 
anywhere. They generally furnished a bountiful living 
for all their families. See Num. xviii : 11-18, etc. 

Fourth: What is called sin money; i. e., money gotten 
by fraud or wrong. When the sinner desired to be for- 
given, he must confess, and restore the principal, and 
" add to it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him 



218 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

against whom lie hath trespassed. But if the man have 
no kinsman to recompense the trespass unto, let the tres- 
pass be recompensed to the Lord, even to the priest ; be- 
sides the ram of the atonement, whereby an atonement 
shall be made for him." Num. v: 5-8. " The trespass 
money and sin money was not brought into the house of 
the Lord : it was the priest's." 2 Kings xii : 16. See 
Lev. v : 15-18. "As the sin offering is, so is the trespass 
offering ; there is one law for them ; the priest that mak- 
eth atonement therewith shall have it." Lev. vii : 7. 
And Sum. xviii : 8-10 says : "And the Lord spake unto 
Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine 
heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children 
of Israel : unto thee have I given them by reason of the 
anointing, and to thy sons by an ordinance forever. This 
shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from 
the fire ; every oblation of theirs, every meat offering of 
theirs, every sin offering of theirs, and every trespass of- 
fering of theirs, which they shall render to me, shall be 
most holy for thee and for thy sons." Lev. vi : 16, 18, 26, 
27 ; Lev. vii : 6. Here we are plainly taught that all should 
eat of these offerings, but only in the holy place, not 
everywhere as they might the other offerings. Except 
a few, the burnt offerings were not wholly burned. They 
burned only " the fat that covereth the inwards, and the 
caul that is above the liver, and the two kidneys, and 
the fat that is upon them," and the head. See Ex. xxix : 
13-17 ; Lev. i : 8-12 ; Lev. iv : 8-10. 

Fifth : The free-will offerings were numerous, and em- 
braced what are called meat offerings, drink offerings, 
and offerings of the first fruits ; all without leaven or 
honey, but having salt. The priest, after burning on 
the altar a memorial portion, ate the remainder. See 
Lev. 2d chap.; also Num. 15th chap., and Num. xviii: 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 219 

5 , xxviii : 12, 13. For the drink offerings, see Num. xv : 
5-13; xviii :14. "And also the burnt offerings were in 
abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and the 
drink offerings for every burnt offering;" 2 Cliron. 
xxix : 35. 

Surely the priests were well provided for, without not- 
ing their other advantages and revenues. But they were 
continually dependent on the people. They had noth- 
ing, except their cities and suburbs, and a few perqui- 
sites, and what the people brought. If the people were 
faithful, the priests lived well. It was, therefore, the 
interest of the priests to teach and cause the people to be 
faithful. In this we have a striking type of the depend- 
ence of evangelists, bishops, and deacons upon the 
church for support and encouragement. If the church 
is faithful, her servants will be sustained, and will have 
no need to resort to any special methods or efforts for 
what is justly due them. If the church is not right, her 
servants must abandon their work, or adopt unscriptural 
methods of "living of the gospel;" just as it was with 
the Jewish priests and people. If the priests were un- 
faithful, as were Ilophni and Phinehas, the sons of 
Eli, and many others, it is no more than reason- 
able that we should look for unfaithfulness among the 
people. Unfaithfulness in the priests caused unfaithful- 
ness in the people. Then the priests resorted to unbe- 
coming methods, went to other employments, or hired 
themselves out to do service to idols, mixing some of the 
divine order with their service. See Judges xvii : 7-13 ; 
Micah's young hireling. lie made a bargain to serve 
Micah a year, as priest for his idols, for ten shekels of 
silver, a suit of clothes, and his victuals. But see the 
next chapter, Judges xviii. When the Danites, on their 
way to Laish, called on the young hireling, he left Mi- 



220 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

cah, connived at the stealing of his idols, and went with 
them for better wages, etc. So it has been with hirelings 
ever since. " The hireling fleeth because he is an hire- 
ling." John x: 13. The man who makes money his 
object in preaching is very likely to " flee when the wolf 
comes," and to break his covenant under some pretense 
or other, whenever a larger salary is offered. 

And as the priests were dependent on the people, and 
hence were personally interested in their faithfulness, so 
the people were dependent on the priests, and were per- 
sonally interested in their faithfulness. For the people 
could not offer an offering of any kind. The priests 
alone could do this. If the priests failed to make a sin 
or trespass offering, as they often did, the sinners were 
not forgiven. See Lev. fourth and fifth chapters, etc. 
One of the objections strongly used against baptism for 
the remission of sins has been, and is, that it puts remis- 
sion of sins in the hands of preachers, who may, and do, 
refuse to baptize sometimes. But this was as applicable 
to the Jewish law, the priests and the people. No one 
was there to make his own offering. No one here is to 
baptize himself. And the administrators might refuse, 
and did refuse sometimes. But we cannot deny the law 
in the case of the Jewish priests and people. No one 
pretends to deny it. "Why pervert the plain meaning of 
language in the Gospel to get rid of a difficulty that is 
confessed in the law, the type? What the Judge will do 
finally as to holding the priests and preachers accounta- 
ble, and excusing the people when they did all they 
could, we may not affirm further than this : '• The Judge 
of all the earth will do right." 

THE TRIENNIAL TITHING. 

This is not so fully explained. But we read : "At the 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OE THE DAY. 221 

end of three years tliou shalt bring forth all the tithes of 
thine increase the same year, and shall lay it up within 
the gates." Deut. xvi: 28. " When thou hast made an 
end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third 
year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it to 
the Levites, the stranger, the fatherless and the widow, 
that they may eat within thy gates and be filled ; then 
thou shalt say before the Lord," etc. Deut. xxvi:12, 
13; Amos vi : 4. "Tithing all the tithes of thy in- 
crease," and " tithes of thine increase," may mean that 
the whole people were to tithe their three years increase, 
besides the annual tithes; or that the priests were to 
tithe all the tithes they had received for the three years ; 
or both, which is more probable. This was to be piled 
up at the gate, or door of the tabernacle, and shared 
equally by the Levites, the fatherless and widows, the 
strangers and the poor, during their third annual feast; 
and they should eat and rejoice before the Lord, confess- 
ing his goodness and faithfulness, cultivating their devo- 
tional nature, their social nature, getting personally ac- 
quainted, and profiting by the past in all their future la- 
bors. 

" THE FEASTS OF THE LORD." LEV. XXIII : 44. 

1. The Sabbath. See Lev. xxiv : 2, 3. This and all 
their feasts were "holy convocations to the Lord," and 
no "servile work" was to be done in them. Of the 
manner of observing this day, and the reasons for it, 
more may be said under " The Sabbath and the Lord's 
day." 

2. The neio moon. "Also in the day of your gladness, 
and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your 
months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt 
offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; 



222 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

that they may be to you a memorial before your God ; 

1 am the Lord your God." Num. x: 10. "Likewise 
the people of the laud shall worship at the door of this 
gate before the Lord in the Sabbaths and in the new 
moons." Ezek. xlvi : 3. "And in the day of the new 
moon, it shall be a young bullock without blemish, and 
six lambs, and a ram ; they shall be without blemish." 
Ezek. xlvi : 6. "And David said unto Jonathan, behold, 
to-morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit 
with the king at meat." 1 Sam. xx: 5, 18, 24. "And 
she called unto her husband, and said, send me, I pray 
thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I 
may run to the man of God, and come again. And he 
said, wherefore wilt thou go to him to-day ? it is neither 
new moon nor Sabbath. And she said, it shall be well." 

2 Kings iv : 22, 23. 

This was a standing feast, like the others, and if it is 
not so fully explained, we will be safe when we note just 
what we read about it. We cannot make plain and clear 
by our conjectures, or the opinions of the Rabbis or oth- 
ers, that which is left dark or uncertain in the Holy 
Scriptures. It is safer to be silent where the Bible is si- 
lent. 

3. Feast of the Passover. " Observe the month Abib, 
and keep the passover unto the Lord thy God ; for in the 
month of Abib the Lord thy God brought thee forth out 
of Egypt by night," etc. Dent, xvi : 1. " In the four- 
teenth clay of the first month at even is the Lord's pass- 
over." On the fifteenth day of the same month is the 
feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord, seven days shall 
ye eat unleavened bread. Lev. xxiii : 5, 6. See Ex. 
xii: 3,13,15,20; Ex. xiii : 3-10. 

The loaf on the Lord's table is the emblem, pointing 
us back to his suffering, as the paschal lamb pointed the 



LI VE RELIGIO US ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 223 

Jews forward to his death as the antitype of the paschal 
lamb. 

4. The feast of weeks, Deut. xvi : 10, 11. "And thou 
shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the Lord thy God, 
with a tribute of a free-will offering of thine hand, which 
thou shalt give unto the Lord, according as the Lord 
thy God hath given thee; and thou shalt rejoice before 
the Lord," etc. 

This was their " Pentecost," fifty days after the pass- 
over. 

"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after 
the Sabbath from the day that ye brought the sheaf of 
the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete." 
Ex. xxiii : 16; Lev. xxiii : 15; Ex. xxxiv : 22; Num. 
xxviii : 26. 

The New Testament makes these two feasts very prom- 
inent. Matt, xxvi : 17-30; Mark xiv : 22; Luke xxii : 
19 ; Acts, first and second chapters. Here we have the 
last paschal lamb and the antitype, and the wonderful 
events connected with that historic Pentecost, and the 
beginning of the reign of Christ. 

5. The feast of tabernacles. "And thou shalt observe 
the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast 
gathered in thy corn and thy wine." See Deut. xvi : 
13-16. " Three times in a year shall all thy males appear 
before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall 
choose;" (which was Jerusalem ;) "in the feast of unleav- 
ened bread," (the passover,) " and the feast of weeks," 
(the pentecost,) " and the feast of tabernacles," (the feast 
of booths and of ingathering.) "And they shall not ap- 
pear before the Lord empty." Verse 17. "Every man 
shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the 



224 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

Lord thy God which he hath given thee." See almost 
the same, Ex. xxiii : 14-17. 

THE THREE ANNUAL FEASTS. 

" Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the 
year." Ex. xxiii : 14. " Three times in the year all thy 
males shall appear before the Lord thy God." v. 27. 
" Thrice in a year shall all your male children appear be- 
fore the Lord God, the God of Israel. Eor I will cast 
out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders : 
neither shall any man desire thy land when thou shalt 
go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in the 
year." Ex. xxxiv : 23, 24. " Even after a eertain rate 
every day, offering according to the commandment of 
Moses, on the Sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on 
the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even the feast 
of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in 
the feast of tabernacles." 2 Chron. viii : 13. (The man- 
ner of keeping these feasts will be found under " The 
Sabbath and the Lord's day," and " Reading the Law.") 

Several of these feasts are called by other names, and 
there were other less noticeable feasts, and some not of 
God; as the feast of Purim. Esther ix : 20, 21; Isa. 
xxix: 13, 14; and Col. ii : 22, refer to these appoint- 
ments and precepts of men, and declare them nul and 
void. So does Matt, xv : 9 ; Mark vii : 7, etc. The ob- 
ject in this investigation is to find out the lorincipal mat- 
ters in the Jews' typical religion ; so that we may dis- 
cover their antitypes, and have the advantages these 
types were intended to give us. 

THE ANTITYPES OF THESE FEASTS. 

These feasts are among the most prominent matters 
in the religion of Moses ; and it has been fully proved, 
by direct quotations, that almost everything there was 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 225 

typical. Sec Hebrew 9th chapter, where all these things 
are called types, and where Paul gives, largely, their anti- 
types, even to "meats and drinks," etc. See 1 Cor. x: 
6, 11 ; also Col. ii, where these very days are referred to 
as holy days, and shadows of things to come. And in 
1 Cor. v : 7,8, read : " Purge out therefore the old leav- 
en, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened, for 
even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us : therefore 
let us keep the feast not with the old leaven, neither 
with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the 
unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." Here refer- 
ence is rightly made to Ex. xii : 15 ; xiii : 6; Deut. xvi: 
3; Matt, xvi: 6, 12; Mark viii : 15; Luke xii: 1. 
There are, then, in the Christian system, antitypes of 
those feasts of the unleavened bread, etc. 

1. Jesus is the antitype of the paschal lamb, which 
was slain at the be^innino- of the first of the three an- 
nual feasts. See Isa. liii : 7. John i : 29, calls him the 
" Lamb of God," evidently alluding to the paschal 
lamb. 1 Peter i : 19 : " But with the precious blood of 
Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." 
Rev. v : 6, 9, 12 ; xiii : 8. We have, therefore, Jesus 
clearly presented as the antitype of the principal item 
in the first annual feast. What a wonderful lesson this 
aftords us! We see that the Divine Being in designat- 
ing the paschal lamb in Egypt, had in view the princi- 
pal item in the grand scheme of redemption. The Jews 
could not fully understand or appreciate it then. Well 
does the apostle say of these ancients, 1 Peter i : 12 : 
"Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, 
but unto us they did minister the things, which are now 
reported unto you by them that have preached the gos- 
pel unto you, with the Holy Ghost sent clown from 
heaven; which things the angels desire to look into." 
15 



226 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

Ex. xxv : 20; Dan. viii : 13; xii : 5, 6; Eph. iii : 10. If 
angels are so much interested in this, surely we should 
be. If they desired to "look into it," surely we should 
not be content without an effort to understand these 
grand antitypes. 

2. There must be, in the Christian system, an anti- 
type of these feasts themselves, at least the principal 
ones; the new moons, or beginning of their months, 
their regular seventh day Sabbaths, and their three an- 
nual " solemn feasts ; " for these were not what Ave now 
call festivals, for mirth and fleshly enjoyments, but for 
worship, teaching, learning, and religious rejoicing, etc. 
And nothing in all the grand programme meets this, 
fitting it as the glove to the hand, but the meetings of 
God's people. Note the rules and exemplifications giv- 
en to show that we must not look for points of likeness 
everywhere, and yet must we find a likeness somewhere, 
or the type would be a failure. And as there is no 
other, we must conclude that the antitypes of these 
feasts are the assemblings of the saints, which we are 
told we must not neglect. Heb. x : 25. This is rightly 
applied to our first day assemblings, but the type had 
other assemblings, besides those of their Sabbaths. 
Should not Christians have others also? If the Jews 
met in " holy convocations " monthly, made their offer- 
ings and had their special worship, if this was safe and 
necessary for them, how is it that we do not need some- 
thing of the same nature, at least frequent "holy con- 
vocations," besides the Lord's day meetings ? And if it 
was safe, economical and necessary for all the males to 
assemble, at the place divinely appointed, three times 
every year, why is it not safe, economical and necessary 
for Christians to meet frequently every year, from all 
parts of the land, and spend " seven days," or double 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE BAY. 227 

that time, as the Jews did some times, in getting per- 
sonally acquainted, cultivating our social nature, wor- 
shiping, teaching and learning ? And I would empha- 
size this question — why not? Were the Jews not as lia- 
ble to abuse or mis-use these meetings as we are ? That 
they were capable of being abused, and were abused 
sometimes, there is no doubt. But the same was and is 
true of every other meeting. Every good thing may be 
abused. Have we yet to learn that this abuse is no evi- 
dence against the thing itself? The abuse of these 
meetings should be corrected and avoided. 

While we may not claim an exact and universal like- 
ness in the antitype, we must still allow, in all candor 
and truth, that there is some likeness. The principle is 
certainly established. God's people needed to assemble 
from distant parts frequently. Why do they not need 
this now ? It cost them far more in time and means 
than it costs us now, with our facilities for travel. And 
though we have books, papers, etc., there is no way of 
cultivating our social nature, and gaining other import- 
ant advantages, without being together. 

" Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to 
another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it ; and a 
book of remembrance was written before him for them 
that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name/' 
Mai. hi : 16. It is as true to-day as in the days of Sol- 
omon, that: "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpen- 
ed the countenance of his friend'." "As in water face 
answereth to face, so the heart of man to man." Prov. 
xxvii : 17, 19. We meet our brethren from a distance 
feeble and discouraged, it may be, and separate strong 
and ready for the fiercest battles of life. 

3. These meetings were entirely for social, religious 
worship, service, teaching, learning, rejoicing, and 



228 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

strengthening one another. They were not law-mak- 
ing assemhlies. The laws were made already. They 
were to obey laws. They were not society assemhlies, to 
hear reports, elect officers, and "devise ways and means"' 
for the work of the Lord. All these were " devised" be- 
fore by infinite wisdom. We read of no resolutions 
passed, except in one case, if this may be so denominated. 
It was at the third annual feast, "the feast of booths,*' 
under Nehemiah, on their return (about 50,000 of them) 
from Babylonish captivity, and when they had spent the 
half of every day for seven days, reading the law, giv- 
ing the sense and causing the people to understand the 
reading, " the ears of all the people being attentive ;" when 
they had learned, by this reading, many of their errors 
and duties. See Xeh. 8th chapter and ix : 3, etc. "Ne- 
hemiah exhorted and admonished them, and they saw 
and felt that they and their fathers had gone far astray, 
and suffered much for their sins and follies. "And be- 
cause of all of this we make a sure covenant, and write 
it; and our princes, Levites and priest's seal unto it.'' 
Neh. ix: 30. Then the names are given in the 10th 
chapter. "We, then, may and should have our general 
meetings, read, learn, etc. And when we are sure we 
understand our former errors, and our present duties, 
we may enter into a " sure covenant," write it, and sign 
it, that we will keep the law of God for the future. So 
did the fathers of this reformation, and so are doing 
many now. See their church records. Yonder was the 
type ; here is the antitype. But we must forever aban- 
don law making, society forming, " devising ways and 
means;" as if the "perfect law of liberty" was not 
perfect ! We must at once and forever abandon the 
idea of making these assemblies subservient to the spe- 
cial interests of preachers or any special class. They 



LIVE RELIGIO US ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 229 

were for the masses; not for the classes. They were for 
worship and religious service; not what we are now 
want to call " business meetings." The priests might, 
perhaps, according to our way of reasoning, have had 
their "priestly institutes," or their "priestly meetings," 
for the Letter qualifying themselves, and for "devising 
ways and means" to secure for themselves place and 
power. But the type furnishes us nothing of the kind, 
as the New Testament docs not. The priests learned 
their duties directly from the law, as we can ours from the 
gospel ; and they taught the people their duties by read- 
ing to them the law, and explaining it to them; not by 
sermonizing from scraps of Scripture as clergymen do 
now, with as much of self and of human learning, and 
human elocpience as possible. 

4. These three annual meetings show a divine and 
gracious providence and care of his people, which must 
have its antitype in God's care for his people now. The 
twelve tribes of Israel were scattered far abroad, and 
were surrounded by hostile savages. How dare they, 
then, leave their homes and families at three stated pe- 
riods of each year, and go up to Jerusalem, being absent 
from fourteen to twenty-one, or thirty clays each time ? 
Their enemies, whose land they had "possessed," knew 
the times of their absence. What assurance had they 
that they would find their families and homes intact 
on their return ? This assurance they had in these 
words: " For I will cast out the nations before thee, and 
enlarge thy borders; neither shall any man desire thy 
land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord 
thy God thrice in the year." Ex. xxxiv : 24. See also 
Gen. xxxv : 5; 2 Chron. xvii : 10; Acts xviii : 10. 
" When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even 
his enemies to be at peace with him." Prov. xvi : 7. 



230 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

How he does this is not the question here. The fact is 
enough for the true believer, if he never understand how 
the promise is made good. The consolation that Peter 
gave the scattered and persecuted Jewish Christians was : 
" Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand 
of God, that he may exalt you in due time; casting all 
your [anxious] care upon him; for he careth for you." 
1 Peter v : 6, 7. " Pie careth for you," does not mean 
that he once cared for you, and sent his Son to die for 
you, but that he cares for you now. " For the eyes of 
Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open to 
their prayers." 1 Peter iii : 12. And there was noth- 
ing miraculous in all of this. And what of his caring 
for us, and his eyes and ears being open to us if he is 
not present with, or ready to help us? All these 
Scriptures imply a gracious and constant providence, 
which is set forth in the type, and in all the dealings of 
God with his faithful servants. In this we now may 
safely " trust and not be afraid." 

CONDITIONS ON WHICH JEWISH WORSHIP AND OFFERINGS WERE 
ACCEPTABLE TO GOD. 

No question can be of greater importance than this ; 
for if our worship is not accepted it is useless. Some 
people imagine there is but one condition of acceptance, 
viz., sincerity. And the importance of sincerity can 
not be exaggerated. But we are trying to learn the 
teaching of the Bible and our whole duty. Let us note, 

1. An offering, to be accepted, must be just what 
God appoints or commands. He has pointed out many 
things he will not accept; as the unclean beasts, fowls, 
etc., and the lame, the halt and the blind. It must be 
" without blemish ; " and it must be what God has ap- 
pointed. Hence, Cain's offering was not accepted. 
Gen. iv : 3-5. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 231 

2. All offerings must be presented in the way God 
directs. Num. xxvi : 61, tells us of the death of Nadab 
and Abihu because "they offered strange fire before the 
Lord." 1 Chron. xv : 13, David referring to the death 
of Uzzah, etc., says it was because "we sought him not 
after the due order." This order was that none but the 
purified Levites should carry the ark, and they should 
not touch it. And the i^nsanctified had it on a cart, and 
touched it. 

3. None but the pure could offer acceptably. Owing 
to their uncleanness the Lord said: "I will not smell 
the savor of your sweet odors." Lev. xxvi : 31. 

" The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the 
Lord; but the prayer of the upright is his delight." 
Trov. xv : 8. 

" The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the 
Lord ; how much more when he bringeth it with a 
wicked mind." Prov. xxi : 27. 

" They have chosen their own ways, and their soul 
delighteth in their abomination." Isa. lxiii : 3. 

" They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offer- 
ings, and eat it; but the Lord accepteth them not." 
Hosea viii : 13. 

<f Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat 
offerings, I will not accept them ; neither will I regard 
the peace offerings of your fat beasts." Amos v : 
22, 25. 

" To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices 
unto me ? saith the Lord. I am full of the burnt offer- 
ings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts ; and I delight 
not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. 
* * * Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an 
abomination to me. The new moons and Sabbaths, the 
calling of assemblies I cannot, away with ; it is iniquity, 



232 . LIVE RELIGIO US ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 

even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your 
appointed feasts my soul hatetli ! And when you spread 
forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you : yea, 
when you make many prayers, I will not hear : your 
hands are full of blood." Isa. i: 11, 13, 14, 15. 

" If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not 
hear me." Ps. lxvi : 18. Many other passages might 
be given of the same nature. 

In these passages we have the fact very clearly stated, 
and the reason for it. God is holy, and he will be wor- 
shiped by a holy people only. David, in Ps. xv and 
xxiv, asks, "Who shall abide in thy tabernacle? " And 
"Who shall ascend into the hill of God? Who shall 
stand before the Most High ? " And he answers : " He 
that hath clean hands, and a pure heart." Clean hands 
refers to dealings with our fellow men; clean hearts, to 
God. 

But under the typical dispensation God did accept of 
worship, hear prayers and bless, when (1) the required 
offerings were brought ; (2) when they were offered ac- 
cording to the form in his law; (3) when they were pre- 
sented with " clean hands and pure hearts." But evi- 
dently very much of the Jewish worship was entirely 
unacceptable. And we may easily find in each par- 
ticular, 

THE ANTITYPE IN CHRISTIAN WORSHIP. 

God is the same now. He has changed the forms and 
ordinances in his worship, but not the principle. Prin- 
ciples never change. Hence, those who would worship 
acceptably must : 

1. Do the things he commands in the gospel. It will 
avail nothing to observe the commands and ordinances 
of men, or to follow our own ways. We must do what 
he orders, and not more nor less. Even Balaam, a sel- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 233 

fish man, ready to curse Israel for Balak's gold, said : 
" I cannot go beyond the word of the the Lord ray God, 
to do less or more." Num. xxii : 18. And Micaiab 
acted on the same principle. 1 Kings xxii : 14 ; 2 
Cliron. xviii : 13. And in the New Testatament, we 
have, in its close, the most solemn warning, and denun- 
ciation of those who would add to or take from the 
word of God. Rev. xxii : 18, 19. Paul, Gal. i : 8, 9, 
denounces every man, and even angels who would 
preach any other gospel, saying : " Let him he ac- 
cursed." 

2. We, like the Jews, must do God's commands as he 
directs. Paul covers this whole ground, in 2 Tim. ii: 5. 
Noah builded the ark just as God commanded. Gen. 
vi : 22 ; vii : 5. And Moses prepared the tabernacle ac- 
cording to the pattern shown him in the Mount, and ac- 
cording to the divine word-painting. " Thus did Mo- 
ses: according to all that the Lord commanded him, so 
did he." Ex. xl : 16. Had Noah or Moses turned 
aside, departed from, added to or taken from the manner 
or form of their structures, there is no reason for conclud- 
ing that they would have been accepted of God, or served 
the purposes for which they were made. Of prayer 
John says : "And this is the confidence that we have in 
him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he 
heareth us." 1 John v : 14. "According to his will " 
implies that if we ask anything not according to his 
will, he will not hear us. Thus, should we ask forgive- 
ness without repentance, or doing what we could to 
comply with his law of pardon, he would not hear us. 
If we should ask God to forgive and save a dear friend 
whose heart is yet sinful, he would not hear us. If we 
should ask God to convert one forcibly, i. e., without 
consulting his will, he would not hear us; or should we 



234 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

ask for vengeance on our enemies, or for quails and 
manna, as these were given to the Jews, he would not 
hear us, Also, since God has provided a Mediator, we 
read from him : " No man cometh unto the Father, but 
by me." John xiv : 6. We must, therefore, approach 
the Father in the name of Jesus. John xvi : 23, etc. 
We cannot force ourselves by him, or disregard him, 
and still get near the Father. Jesus said to the Samari- 
tan woman : " God is a spirit, and they that worship 
him must worship him in spirit and in truth." John 
iv : 24. To worship "in spirit," is to worship spiritual- 
ly, heartily. To worship " in truth" is to worship ac- 
cording to truth, or as God has directed. 

3. We, too, must come humbly and with " clean hands 
and pure hearts." Otherwise, instead of pleasing God, 
while observing the very thing he has commanded, and in 
the order and manner directed, we may " eat and drink 
damnation to ourselves," i. e., eating from an impure 
motive — the love of the bread and wine, and not for the 
Lord's sake. 1 Cor. xi : 29. "For he that eateth and 
drinketh unworthily," (in an unworthy manner,) " eat- 
eth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning 
the Lord's body." 

" Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say 
unto you, ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracle, 
but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled." 
John vi : 26. This was a very unworthy motive, and 
gave character to their action. Jesus reproved the mo- 
tive, and sought to correct them. 

Jesus, while instructing his disciples in the Mount, 
said : " Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, 
and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught 
against thee, [or just ground of complaint against thee,] 
leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way ; 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 235 

first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and 
offer thy gift." Matt, v: 23, 24. "Be reconciled to 
th}' brother " does not mean that yon may not pray be- 
fore he is reconciled to you. You must be right in your 
own heart, and so be reconciled to him, and to all men. 
"And there rememberest," implies self-examination as 
we approach the altar, or place of prayer ; just as we are 
to examine ourselves when we approach the Lord's 
table. If we make no self-examination, or if we know 
our brother has "just ground of complaint" against 
us, or that we are not reconciled to him, we need not 
expect to be heard, however loud and long we may 
pray. 

After noting the wickedness of the man who had 
been forgiven, and would not forgive his fellow servant, 
and was imprisoned till he should pay all of the very 
money that had been forgiven him, Jesus said : " So, 
likewise shall "my heavenly Father do also unto you, if 
you, from your hearts, forgive not every one his brother 
their tresspasses." Matt, xviii : 35. And in the prayer 
Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he said : " Forgive us 
our debts as we forgive our debtors." Matt, vi : 12. 
If we pray, therefore, without forgiving others, i. e., with- 
out a forgiving heart, we are really praying that God 
will not forgive us ! For this is the meaning of " for- 
give us as we for give our debtors." If we do not for- 
give at all, we are praying that we may not be forgiven 
at all ! — deceived by the blindness of an unforgiving 
heart. 

The man who had been blind, in his controversy with 
the Pharisees said : " Now, we know that God heareth 
not sinners : but if any man be a worshiper of God, 
and doeth his will, him he heareth." John ix : 31. 
The Pharisees did not venture to call this in question. 



236 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

They did know both : (ci) that God does not hear 
sinners ; and (b) that he does hear his true and obedient 
worshipers. But they cast this man out of the syna- 
gogue. This kind of power they could use when foiled 
in argument. Were they not sinners then ? And would 
their prayers be heard ? 

How very encouraging to be thus warned and taught, 
in the type and in the antitype, that we may not be ac- 
cepted unless we worship aright, but that we certainly 
will be heard, answered and accepted, if (1) we do what 
Jesus commands ; (2) if we obey as he directs ; and (3) 
if we come with clean hands and pure hearts ! The 
Lord help us to " examine ourselves whether we are in 
the faith " properly, and to worship him in spirit and in 
truth. 



CHAPTER XV. 

Atoxement and Government of Israel. — Annual atonement day; 
items — tradition and Bible teaching as to tabernacle types and 
antitypes ; first or Sinaiatic covenant ; use of the term tabernacle ; 
golden censer ; things not yet made manifest; the veil figurative ; 
redemption for transgression under the old covenant; the gov- 
ernment of Israel, primary and permanent — judges, wise men 
from among the elders — shall judge righteously — fear God, not 
man — fear a gift to blind the mind; judges for the Lord, and 
judges for the city; elders not necessarily officers — never equiva- 
lent to any office — officers chosen from among them ; New Testa- 
ment elders — bishops being called elders not proof of their same- 
ness ; duties of elders ; duties of officers ; absurdity of young men 
being officers — elders — preachers not congregational officers. 

THE DAY OF ATONEMENT. 

The three annual feasts have been noted : (1) The 
passover, in the month Abib, which included the last of 
March and the first of April, the time they began to 
"put the sickle to the corn." (2) The pentecost, or feast 
of weeks, and the feast of the first fruits. lum. xxviii : 
26 ; Ex. xxxiv : 22. (3) The feast of booths, in the sev- 
enth month. But this seventh month and its feasts re- 
quire some special consideration. Sec Lev. xxiii : 23-38. 
On the first day of this month came the usual feast of the 
new moon, (their months were lunar months,) blowing of 
trumpets over their sacrifices, etc. On the fifteenth day 
of this month commenced the feast of booths. But on 
the tenth day of this month came the annual atonement. 
See Ex. xxx : 10-17. Every one over twenty years old 
should give half a shekel, which should be " appointed 
for the service of the tabernacle." See Lev. xvi : 1-29, 
for the manner of procedure. And Lev. xvi : 29-31, et sq. 
The people should stand in the outer court, and afflict or 

(237) 



238 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

humble themselves before the Lord, while the high 
priest went into the most holy place to make the atone- 
ment. Lev. xxiii : 26-44, and Dent, xvi : 1-17, give 
again these feasts, and the day of atonemant. Every 
soul that would not afflict and humble himself on the 
day of atonement, should not only be unforgiven, but 
cut off from the congregation. Lev. xxiii : 29, 30. 
"And this shall be a statute forever unto you : that in 
the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye 
shall afflict your souls and do no work at all, whether 
it be one of your own country or a stranger that 
sojourn eth among you: for on that day the priest shall 
make an atonement for you to cleanse you, that you 
may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. It 
shall be a Sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict 
your souls, by a statute forever." 

It would be convenient to note here over a dozen 
particular details in the programme for the observ- 
ance of this day, as given by the Rabbis, from the 
Mishna and other traditions ; but no one could feel cer- 
tain of their correctness, further than they are given in 
the passages just referred to. And they are not practi- 
cal. We are looking for our duty. Hence, the noting 
of just what pertains to duty. In this search it is 
deemed best to copy largely from the holy record, itnstead 
of simply giving references, lest the references may not 
be examined. And having been far more deeply im- 
pressed with the importance of the types, by a close and 
thorough examination we are constrained to ask the care- 
ful reading of the following quotations, in proof and 
explanation of the 

TABERNACLE TYPES AND ANTITYPES. 

"Then verily the first covenant, [the Sinaiatic] had 
also ordinances [or ceremonies, marg.] of divine service, 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 239 

and a wordly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle 
made, the first wherein was the candlestick, and the 
table, and the shew bread ; which is called the sanctuary. 
And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called 
the holiest of all ; which had the gelden censer, and the 
ark of the covenant, overlaid round about with gold, 
wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and 
Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant ; 
and over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mer- 
cy-seat ; of which we cannot now speak particularly. 
Now, when these things were thus ordained [set in 
order] the priests went always into the tabernacle [t. e., 
the first holy place,] accomplishing the service of God. 
But into the second p. e., the most holy place,] went the 
high priest alone once every year, not without blood, 
which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the 
people : the Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way 
into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while 
as the first tabernacle was yet standing : which was a 
figure for the time then present, in which were offered 
both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that 
did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience ; 
which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers wash- 
ings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the 
time of reformation, [i. e., the beginning of the Xew 
Covenant.] But Christ being come, an high priest of 
good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tab- 
ernacle, not made with hands, [as the type was,] that is 
to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of 
goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in 
once into the holy place, having obtained eternal re- 
demption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, 
and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sancti- 
fieth to the purifying of the flesh; how much more 



240 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal 
Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your 
conscience from dead works, [the unmeritorious and 
merely typical sacrifices under the law of Moses,] to 
serve the living God? And for this cause he is the 
Mediator of the New Testament, that by means of 
death, for the redemption of the trangressions that were 
under the first testament, [i. e., the Sinaiatic covenant,] 
they which are called might receive the promise of eternal 
inheritance." Heb. ix : 1-15. * * * "It was there- 
fore necessary that the patterns of things in the heav- 
ens should be purified with these ; but the heavenly 
things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For 
Christ is not entered into the holy places made with 
hands, which are the figures of the true ; but into heav- 
en itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us." 
Heb. ix : 23, 24. The careful student should closely 
study the whole of the ninth and tenth chapters of He- 
brews. 

A few notes on some of these clauses will aid our study : 
The first Covenant. This evidently refers to the 
Sinaiatic covenant in constrast with the gospel, or 
Christian covenant, which is called the new covenant. 
See Heb. viii : 8-11 .; Jer. xxxi : 31-35. There was a well 
marked covenant with Noah. Gen. viii : 20-22. Also 
with Abraham. Gen. 12, 13, 15, 17 and 22nd chap- 
ters. But the Sinaiatic and the Christian covenants are 
called the old and the new in contrast. They might be 
also denominated, the temporal and the spiritual, or 
the partial and universal. 

1 2. " The tabernacle" is here applied to the first holy 
place, and then to the most holy place. Generally this 
phrase designates the entire structure. 

3. " The golden censer " was carried by the high priest 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 241 

into the most holy place, on the atonement clay, and left 
there, it seems, till the following year. The high priest 
entered several times, and his first entrance would afford 
him an opportunity to carry it out with him. Then, 
when ready to make the atonement, he took burning 
coals from the altar of burnt offerings, put them into 
the censer, and putting the sweet incense on these, th? 
smoke arose over the mercy-seat, and God spoke to 
him. Ex. xxv : 6; xxxi : 11; xxxix: 38; Lev. xvi : 12. 

4. " Not yet made manifest;" it was not opened. The 
veil had not been rent, and till it was rent, no eye but 
that of the high priest could see into that holy place. 

5. " The veil, that is, his flesh." The flesh ever serves as 
a veil ; and none of us can at all fully see or understand 
the future while in the flesh. Our flesh, also, hinders us 
from seeing many things earthly in their true light. 

6. " Which was a figure for the time then present" Also in 
verses 23, 24, patterns of things in the heavens ; figures 
of the true ; and Heb. x : 1 : " The law having a 
shadow of good things to come," etc., all go to put be- 
yond question the idea that all that tabernacle and its 
service, including " meats and drinks, divers washings," 
and the offerings, were tyjoical. We cannot too well set- 
tle this in our minds. We may fail, at first, to find the 
antitypes, perhaps, but they are in the church, and we 
should search for them till we do find them. When we 
understand them well, we will see why no more is said 
on various points — as the morning and evening sac- 
rifices of incense, trimming the lamps, the weekly 
loaf, etc. 

7. " Redemption of the transgressions that ivere under the 
first testament" the Sinaiatic covenant. There could be 
no merit in " the blood of bulls and goats," etc. That 
blood could only typify the truly meritorious blood. It 

16 



242 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

could not purge, or satisfy the conscience. Verse 9. 
They knew and felt that there was no merit, or expia- 
tory value in it, and that it typified something not fully 
revealed. 

8. " Remembrance again made of sins every year." This 
is clearly taught. See Heh. x : 3. As there was no ex- 
piatory merit in the offerings, their sins were only put 
forward for a year, and then " remembered again every 
year." Hence the annual atonement. But when Christ 
came, he made an offering of merit " once for all." And 
now pardon is both real and perpetual. To this, how- 
ever, there may be one exception, or condition, viz : that 
we persevere in the divine life, and turn not again to 
sin. See Matt, xviii : 23-35. " The kingdom of heav- 
en is like" — a man who forgave ten thousand talents, 
and afterwards changed this, and required him to pay 
it all, because he refused to forgive a man who owed 
him a hundred pence. Jesus adds, verse 35 : " So like- 
wise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if you, 
from your hearts, forgive not every one his brother their 
tresspasses." We need no yearly atonement ; no more 
expiatory blood ; but we need to forgive as we are for- 
given, and to live the Christian life. "For after if they 
have escaped the pollutions of the world, through the 
knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are 
again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is 
worse with them than the beginning." 2 Pet. ii : 20. 
See also next verse. (See " The Atonement," for meaning 
of word, etc.) 

THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL. 

All classes of people are interested in this, and espe- 
cially in so far as it is typical and practical. It is at the 
foundation of all the good governments of the earth. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 243 

Civil governments are safe and prosperous in propor- 
tion as they are mainly conformed to this divine model. 

The government of Israel was both civil and ecclesi- 
astical. This union was clearly intended to be for the 
Jews only, and was to cease when the promised seed 
should come. Christians are especially interested in the 
ecclesiastical, or religious part of this government, so 
far as it is typical ; and it is confidently believed that 
when it is well understood, its antitype, the government 
of the church, will appear much more plain and wise. 
And as this is a Bible investigation, let us see just what 
that book says. Take the following specimens; 

"And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and 
made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, 
rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 
And they judged the people at all seasons; the hard 
causes they brought to Moses, but every small matter 
they judged themselves." Ex. xviii : 25, 26. 

And Moses said : " You are as the stars of heaven for 
multitude. How can I myself bear your cumbrance, 
and your burden, and your strife? Take you wise men, 
and understanding, and known among your tribes, and 
I will make them rulers over you." Deut. i : 10, 12, 
13, 14, etc. When this was done, Moses charged them, 
saying: " So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, 
and known, and made them heads over you, captains 
p. <?., heads] over thousands, captains over hundreds, 
captains over fifties and captains over tens, and officers 
among your tribes. And I charged your judges at that 
time, saying, hear the causes between your brethren, 
and judge righteously between every man and his 
brother, and the stranger that is with him. Ye shall 
not respect persons in judgment; ye shall hear the 
small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the 



244 LIVE EELIGIO US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 

face of man; for the judgment is God's: And the cause 
that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will 
hear it." Deut. i: 15-18. This was for Moses' life- 
time. But he told them how they should proceed after 
they reached the promised land ; thus : 

" Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy 
gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy 
tribes ; and they shall judge the people with just judgment. 
Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect 
persons; neither take a gift; for a gift doth blind the 
eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous." 
Deut. xvi : 18, 19, sq. Hence 555 years after this, when 
Jehosaphat would reverently honor this law, it is said : 
"And he set judges in the land throughout all the 
fenced cities of Judea, city by city, and said to the 
judges, Take heed what ye do, for ye judge not for 
man, [only] but for the Lord, who is with you in judg- 
ment. * * * Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehosaphat 
set of the Levites, and of the priests, and of the chief 
of the fathers of Israel, for the judgment of the Lord, 
and for controversies, when they returned to Jerusalem. 
* * * And behold, Amariah, the chief priest, is over 
you in all matters of the Lord; and Zebadiah the son 
ot Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Juclah, for all the 
king's matters. Also the Levites shall be officers before 
you. Deal courageously, and the Lord shall be with 
the good." 2 Chron. xix : 5-11. 

And 440 years later, 457 years before the birth of the 
Savior, and when the Lord moved Artaxerxes to favor 
the Jews in their return to Jerusalem, and he sent Ezra, 
etc, Ave read, Ezra vii : 25: "And thou, Ezra, after the 
wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magis- 
trates and judges which may judge all the people that 
are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 245 

God, and teach them that know them not." See also, 
Ex. xxiii : 3, 6, 7; Lev. xix : 18; xxv : 1; Pro v. xvii: 
15; xviii: 5; xxiv : 23; 2 Chron. xix: 6-10; Deut. 
xvii : 10-13 ; Ezra vii : 26, etc. 

Now let ns note a few items clearly set forth in these 
testimonies ; the negative and positive : 

1. " Take you wise men" etc. "And Moses chose able 
men" etc. At one time the people were to take, or look 
out their rulers and judges ; and then it is said that 
Moses did this. This was the style then. Moses did it; 
but he did it through and by their agency, and accord- 
ing to their wishes. The people selected them accord- 
ing to Moses' instructions, and Moses appointed them, 
charged them, etc. So in the antitype. Acts vi : 3, 
5, 6. The people chose according* to the instructions of 
the apostles, and the apostles ordained or appointed. 
See Acts xiv : 23. The apostles " ordained," no doubt, 
the persons chosen by the multitude. And Titus was 
to " ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee." 
Titus i : 5. Doubtless, the multitude chose them ac- 
cording to Titus' instructions, and Titus ordained them. 
Thus the type and antitype agree. 

2. " Wise men" — " able men." How careful Moses was 
to give the character and qualifications of the judges 
and rulers the people were to choose. And so it is in 
the antitype. The exact character and qualifications of 
bishops and deacons are given at length, 1 Tim. 3rd, 
and Titus 1st chapter. None others could be church 
officers. The character and qualifications for voters in 
our civil government, and for our officers and judges, 
are given in our civil government code, and none others 
can vote or hold office. They are given for baptism ; 
and none other can be baptized. 

3. " Judge righteously." Everywhere in the type and 



246 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

in the antitype, justice must be done; righteousness must 
be practiced. Those who object to the Bible, object to 
justice and righteousness ! 

4. " Ye shall not be afraid of the face of man." God's 
people can afford to be brave. They fear to offend God, 
not man. This enables them to do justice. " The fear 
of man bringeth a snare : but whoso putteth his trust 
in the Lord shall be safe." Pro v. xxix : 25. 

5. " They shall judge the people." The people having 
chosen their judges and rulers, were not called on to de- 
cide cases. The judges decided, and the people submit- 
ted, and carried out their decisions. This also appears 
in the antitype — in the church. 

6. "A gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert 
the words of the righteous." See also Deut. xxvii: 18; 
Matt, xv : 14; Isa. Ivi: 10; xlii: 19; Matt, xxiii: 16; 
Eom. ii: 19; 2 Cor. iv: 4; 1 John ii: 4; Eev. iii: 17. 
Many Pharisees were " blind guides ; " and the " blind 
led the blind." Matt, xxiii : 16, 17, 26 ; John ix : 40, 41. 
Some were physically blind, some were morally blind. 
The first were commisserated, the second were blamed. 
Their blindness and ignorance were their sin. They had 
•< closed their eyes." 2 Pet. i : 9. " He that lacketh 
these things is blind, and cannot see afar off," etc. Rom. 
xi : 7. 2 Cor. iii : 14. " Their minds were blinded." 
" Blindness of heart." Mark iii : 5. " Blindness in 
part hath happened to Israel. Pom. xi: 25. Hence, when 
Samuel was " old and gray-headed," when he had anoint- 
ed a king for Israel and was about to retire, he said, in 
demonstrable sincerity and truth : " Behold, here I am. 
Witness against me before the Lord," (i. e., before the 
tabernacle, wherein the Lord dwelt,) and before his 
anointed, (King Saul,) whose ox have I taken? or whose 
ass have I taken ? or whom have I defrauded ? whom 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 247 

have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received 
any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? And I will re- 
store it to yon. And they said : thou hast not defrauded 
us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of 
any man's hand," etc. 1 Sam. xii 3, 4. This was a 
grand close to a magnificent official life. The antitype 
has a case much like this in Paul. To the Corinthians, 
some of whom, being blind of heart, had slandered and 
wronged Paul, he said, demandingly : " Receive us : we 
have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we 
have defrauded no man." 2 Cor. vii : 2. This was for 
himself and Timothy, who joined him in this letter. 
Spiritual, or moral blindness, induces wrongs to others, 
the perversion of judgments and of holy Scripture. It 
grows out of, or is, an abnormal state of the heart. 
That state or condition may be superinduced by bribes, 
gifts, salaries, worldly honors, love of worldly pleasures, 
etc. We might speak of judicial blindness thus brought 
on ; of political blindness, blindness of preachers by high 
salaries, etc., blindness of sectarians, who love party 
more than truth, etc. But Solomon's admonition cov- 
ers the whole ground : " Keep thy heart with all dili- 
gence ; for out of it are the issues of life." Prov. iv : 
23. Of the same nature is this : " generation of vipers, 
how can ye, being evil, speak good things ? for out of 
the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Matt, 
xii: 34. 

7. He " set of the Levites, of the t priests, and of the chief 
of the fathers of Israel, for the judgment of the Lord, and 
for controversies." These were the best qualified for the 
work ; part of them were Levites, part were priests, and 
part, the chief of the fathers of Israel. No wiser ar- 
rangement could be imagined. But this shows that the 
priests were not the only judges, if indeed they were 



248 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

judges at all by virtue of their priestly office. They were 
not excluded or neglected, however. The best fitted for 
the important work were chosen from all classes and 
conditions of the people. The same is true as to teach- 
ers. The priests were teachers, but not the only teach- 
ers. The chief business of the priests was ministering 
in the tabernacle. They became teachers, judges, and 
governors only as they were better qualified than others, 
not by virtue of being priests. Their greatest kings 
were not of the tribe of Levi, and could not be priests. 

8. " And behold Amariah, the chief priest, is over yon in all 
matters of the Lord, and Zebediah, the son of Ishmael, the 
ruler of the house of Judah for all the king's matters." The 
chief priest, then, was the final appeal in matters of the 
Lord, and Zebediah was chief in the king's matters, the 
civil department of the government. They served some- 
what the place of our supreme judges, and their decisions 
were final, unless the king interfered. This appellate 
power was used by Moses, Joshua, the miraculously in- 
spired judges, and, in their absence, largely by the high 
priests. Their extraordinary judges, Samuel, Eli, Samson, 
Gideon, Jeptha, etc., were especially raised up and mirac- 
ulously qualified. They certainly had apellate power. 
From their decision there was no earthly appeal in their 
dominion. In their absence the chief priests occupied 
that place. But in this place we need to consider more 
carefully : 

THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL. 

The elders now seem not to be understood, and to 
have them occupy their proper place in the church it 
is necessary to look at them in the typical dispensation. 
This may require precious time and space, but the im- 
portance of the subject, as may yet appear, demands both 
the space and time. Let us be altogether candid and 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 249 

fair, and as brief as possible. Those who cannot afford 
to go through this investigation may live and die in 
very damaging error. And those who imagine they 
understand this subject without having done more than 
barely enter upon the borders of a proper investiga- 
tion of it are needlessly deceiving themselves ; and some 
of them arc deceiving others. These suggestions are 
designed to encourage the investigation that will cut 
the very tap-root of errors now bearing deadly fruit in 
the congregations of the saints. Some of our leading 
writers tell us that elders and bishops mean the same 
persons, and are synonymous. Others tell us that eld- 
ers, bishops, deacons, and preachers are the same, or so 
nearly so as at least to get the preacher in as a bishop 
whether he has the scriptural qualifications or not. 
When we understand the elders, we shall be better pre- 
pared to understand the Scriptural pastors of the 
churches. Let us have typical cases, beginning with 
the first: 

In Gen. 1: 7 it is said that, to bury Israel, "All the 
servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all 
the elders of the land of Egypt went up." Observe 
here the Egyptians had elders as well as the Israelites. 
They never confounded elders with officers. No hea- 
then nation did, and they all had their elders. 

Ex. iii : 16. God said to Moses : " Go and gather the 
elders of Israel together, and say," etc. The Egyptians 
were officers over them; but the' Jews had elders, and 
they were measurably and naturally heads and repre- 
sentatives of the people. Hence when Moses assem- 
bled them, and spoke to them, they reported to the 
masses. In this way Moses reached all the three mill- 
ions of Israelites. 

Ex. iv: 29; and xii: 21: "Gather together all the 



250 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

elders ; " "And Moses called for all the elders of Israel." 

Ex. xxiv: 1-9. "And lie (God) said unto Moses, 
come up unto the Lord, thou and Aaron, Nadab and 
Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship 
ye afar oft'." " Then went up Moses and Aaron, Nadab 
and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel." Here 
seventy are chosen from among the elders of Israel for a 
special service. See v. 14. Of course they were still 
elder or older-men .Lev. iv : 15. "And the elders of the 
congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the 
bullock before the Lord." 

Lev. ix : 1 "Moses called Aaron and his sons and the 
elders of Israel." 

Num. xi : 16. "And the Lord said to Moses, gather 
to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou 
knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over 
them." 

Observe here. The Jews had officers over them ; one 
man at the head of each tribe, and then " captains of 
thousands, captains of hundreds, captains of fifties, and 
captains of tens." Deut. i: 15; Num. xxxi: 14; Ex. 
xviii : 25, 26 ; Num. i : 5-16. These captains were offi- 
cers, to "judge the people at all seasons. And the sev- 
enty especial helpers of Moses, who should bear a part 
of the burden of responsibility with him, were to be 
chosen from among these elders and officers. There 
were many, very many elders who were not of this spe- 
cial seventy, and who were not captains or officers at 
all, but simply elders. From among the elders all im- 
portant officers were chosen. Yet elders, though not 
officers, had an important work, aRcl a great and con- 
trolling power. Hence, Moses, the judges, the high 
priests, and even the kings consulted them, as we will 
see. 



LIVE RELIGIO US ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 251 

Xum. xx : 4. "And Moab said unto the elders of 
Midian." v. 7 : " The elders of Moab and the elders of 
Midian." 

Deut. v : 23 : " The heads of your tribes and your 
elders." The heads of the tribes called on the elderly 
men to aid them, as on many occasions. Deut. xxi : 2 : 
"Thy elders and thy judges shall come." They co-op- 
erated. See vs. 4, 6, 19, 20; chap, xxii: 15-18; xxv : 
7-9 ; xxvii : 1. " Moses with elders of Israel command- 
ed the people." All this the elders did by virtue of being 
eiders, or elderly men, and without any special office. 

Deut. xxxi : 28 : " Gather unto me all the elders of 
your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these 
words in their years, and call heaven and earth to record 
against them." xxxii : 7. " Ask thy elders, and they 
will tell thee." 

Judges xi : 5, " The elders of Israel went to fetch 
Jeptha." 

Euth iv : 2, Boaz " took ten men of the elders of the 
city." They acted for the city in the sale of land. 

1 Kings viii : 1, " Solomon assembled the elders of 
Israel." This, too, was for conference. 

1 Sam. xvi : 4, " The elders of the town trembled at 
his (Samuel's) coming." xxx : 26, David " sent of the 
spoil to the elders of Judea." 2 Sam. iii : 17, " He 
" communicated with the elders of Israel." v : 3, " The 
elders of Israel came unto the king." 1 Kings viii : 3 
" The elders of Israel came and the priests." xx : 7 
" The king called all the elders of the land, xxi : 11 
" The elders and the nobles did," etc. 2 Kings x : 5 
" He that was over the house, and he that was over the 
city, the elders also, and the bringers up of the chil- 
dren," etc. Here, as elsewhere, the elders were a class 
of people having great influence, but not necessarily 



252 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

officers ; there were special officers over the king's house 
and over the city, xix : 2 : " The scribes and the elders 
of the priests." Ezra x : 8 : " The counsel of the princes 
and the elders." x : 14 : " The elders of every city." 
Isa. xxxvii: 2: "The scribes and the elders of the 
priests." When Israel had apostatized, it is said : Lam. 
iv : 16 : " The priests, they favored not the elders." 
v : 12 : " The faces of the elders were not honored." 
v. 14 : " The elders have ceased from the gate." Ezra 
vi : 7 : " The governor of the Jews and the elders." 

CONCLUSIONS. 

Thus we see that : 1. The elders are nowhere called 
officers. 2. Officers were chosen from among the elders. 
Elders had to be chosen to make them officers. The offi- 
cers were elders, but the elders were not necessarily offi- 
cers. 3. The term elder is never equivalent to any office 
among the Jews. It is a distinct term for a distinct and 
very large class of people — not officers. 4. From their 
age and accumulated wisdom and knowledge, the elders 
had great power with the people, with the judges, and 
with the kings, and were largely consulted and regard- 
ed. Among the patriarchs they were chief rulers. This 
seems to have been the case in cities and communities 
till they chose regular officers. No more can be claim- 
ed for the elders of Israel. Elder never was an official 
term, and was never used as an equivalent of any offi- 
cial term — as king, judge, captain, etc. It sets forth age 
and wisdom, which require respect and regard ; and in 
the absence of regular officers, they took the lead, and 
did every thing by virtue of their age without special 
appointment. 

ELDERS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. 

Mat. xv : 2 : " Transgress the traditions of the el- 
ders." xvi : 21 : "And suffer many things of the elders, 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 253 

and chief priests, and scribes." xxvi : 3 : " The scribes 
and elders of the people." " Priests and elders of the 
people" are fonnd frequently in the New Testament. 
Mat. xxvii: 20: "But the chief priests and elders per- 
suaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas." 
The power of persuasion was all they had. See Mark 
vii : 3, 5 ; viii : 31 ; xi : 27 ; xiv : 43, 53 ; xv : 1. " Held 
a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole 
council." The elders took part by virtue of age and 
wisdom (as the scribes did by virtue of their knowledge 
of the law, from copying it) — not officially. Luke vii : 
3 ; ix : 22 ; xx : 1 ; xxii : 50. "And the captain of the 
temple and the elders." Acts iv :5 : "That their rulers 
and elders and scribes." Who ever thought of the of- 
fice of a scribe ? See vs. 8, 23 ; vi : 12 ; xi : 30 ; xiv : 
23 : " Ordained elders in every church." That is, they 
ordained elders to the offices of bishop and deacon. Had 
they been officers by virtue of being elders, they would 
have needed no appointment or ordination, xv : 22 : 
"Then pleased it the apostles and elders." Even the 
apostles conferred with the elders, as the judges and 
kings of Israel did. See also Acts xv : 2, 4, 6, 23 ; 
xvi : 4 ; xx : 17 : Paul " called the elders of the church." 
But after they reached Miletus, in his address to them, 
he gives them their official title — overseers or bishops. 
Verse 28. While bishops, they were still elders, and it 
is no marvel that they are sometimes called elders : that 
is, they have not always their official name given them. 
So our presidents and governors are often called gener- 
als, because they were generals before. Yet no one un- 
derstands that general and president or governor mean 
the same, or are equivalent terms. Men are called judg- 
es, governors, generals, etc., very generally, because 
they were once governors, judges, generals, captains, 



254 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

etc. It is difficult for a man to get rid of a title once 
acquired. Here is the mistake of modern critics — call- 
ing elder an official title, equivalent to bishop, because 
the bishops are sometimes called elders. Acts xxi : 18 ; 
xxiii : 14 ; xxiv : 1 ; xxv : 15. 1 Tim. v : 1 : " Rebuke 
not an elder, but entreat him as a father." The same 
respect was shown elderly women, except they w r ere not 
consulted as w T ere the men in governmental matters. 
Age must be respected. Lev. ix : 32 : " Thou shalt rise 
up before the hoary head." Prov. xvi : 31 : " The 
hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the 
way of righteousness." 

Titus (i: 5) was to "ordain elders in every city." 
They had elders, but they did not have bishops, and 
Titus was to ordain some of their elders to make them 
bishops and deacons, if he found any elders properly 
qualified, and not without. Paul could not ordain men 
to be officers if they w T ere already officers. We no- 
where read that bishops were ordained. Bishops had 
been ordained. They w T ere not properly bishops and 
deacons till they were ordained. They ordained elders, 
to make them bishops and deacons. This is the proper 
way to state the facts, and so they are uniformly stated 
in the scriptures. While it is true that in one place in 
the E"ew T Testament (Acts xx : 17, 28), and perhaps in 
one place in the Old Testament, the officers are called 
elders, and while it is possible that the officers were 
called elders in several other places (though this cannot 
be proved), it cannot be shown that elder was ever used 
as an official designation, or as an equivalent to office or 
officer. The word translated elder (presbnteros) cannot 
be translated bishop or deacon, and is not the equiva- 
lent of either in any passage in the Old or New Testa- 
ment, yet very common reference is made to Acts xv : 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 255 

4, 6, 22 ; Ileb. xiii : 17 ; 1 Peter v : 1, to prove their 
identity. In Acts xv, we find the elderly men acting 
with the apostles, as they did with the kings and judges 
of old, on account of their age and wisdom. Had they 
been bishops they would have been called bishops, as in 
other places they are. This passage only proves the 
transference of the Jewish habit of conferring with the 
seniors, to the church of Christ. So in Ileb. xiii: 17, 
the word rendered "have the rale over you " is heegoume- 
nos, which means leaders — not bishops. And in the ab- 
sence of bishops the elders did rule and lead, by virtue 
of natural fitness, but not as officers. And these pres- 
buteroi, elders or seniors, are commanded to take unto 
them this work — shepherd " the flock of God that is 
among you, taking the oversight thereof; not by con- 
straint, but willingly ; not for filthy lucre, but of a 
ready mind. * * Likewise, ye younger, submit your- 
selves to the elder." (See 1 Peter v : 1-5). Elder and 
younger are here in manifest contrast. Neither is offi- 
cial. No class of men are ever directed to take to 
themselves the office of bishop or deacon. They were 
elected or ordained to these. There is a bold contrast 
between the elders voluntarily taking to themselves this 
work for the present, and the officers being chosen and 
ordained to it. The one was primary, the other regu- 
lar. Had the elders been officers, the natural contrast 
would have been between the officials and imofficials ; 
or, as modern theology has it, between clergy and laity. 
'Peter put it between the elder and the younger. This 
was true and proper. 

The letter to the Hebrews, the two letters of Peter, 
and the letter of James were addressed to the Jewish 
Christians in their dispersion. They had been upwards 
of twenty years "scattered abroad" — far from their 



256 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

homes and their own country— 1 into " Pontus, Galatia, 
Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia" (1 Peter i: 1), and 
there is no evidence that they could have congregations 
with regular bishops and deacons. Their condition and 
circumstances forbid the idea that they had. And it 
was strictly natural, and according to the typical dis- 
pensation, that the elderly men should take the over- 
sight of the flock, wherever they were. The apostles 
in Acts xv, adopt the Jewish custom of calling the 
seniors into their conference. No more is proved here. 
The elderly men are, then, by nature, and by Peter's 
appointment, to take to themselves the oversight of the 
flock, in the absence of bishops and deacons, and not by 
constraint, or congregational appointment. And an- 
other important lesson is here presented ; viz., The el- 
ders were called into the apostolic council, as they had 
been called into the council of the priests, judges and 
kings of Israel. Hence the necessary conclusions, not 
that they were officers, but that — 

I. In the absence of officers the elderly members 
should now take the lead, and do everything in the 
church to the best of their ability, without waiting for 
any congregational appointment. This divine provision 
supercedes the necessity for haste, and cuts off the apol- 
ogy for putting into office unqualified men. 

II. After churches are seripturally organized, the of- 
ficers shall take the elders into their councils, and profit 
by their aid. Not to do so is contrary both to the type 
and the anti-type, as we have seen ; and it looks too much 
like self-importance, and " lording it over God's herit- 
age." [The word heritage here means the unofficial 
church members.] Men have not all the wisdom in the 
world just because they are officials. No doubt one 
great reason for the failures of church officials is found 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 257 

just here. Often calling the elders together for consul- 
tation with the officials, not only shows respect and cul- 
tivates confidence and brotherly love, but also gives im- 
portant aid in very many cases. 

III. While all the elders have duties, prerogatives 
and responsibilities by virtue of age, and that wisdom 
that should be found with age, some of them have far 
more than others. They are all of one class — elders; but 
they did not commence life each with the same amount 
of capital, nor have they all been equally diligent and 
successful in improving their talents. Hence, some are 
chief elders ; that is, they are greater in knowledge and 
power with the people. So it was in other classes of 
men. The Sanhedrim had its " chief men." While all 
held the same office, some were chief in knowledge and 
power with the masses. Gamaliel on one occasion, 
controlled the whole council. And " Peter, James and 
John seemed to be pillars," or were chief men among 
the apostles. So it is and has always been with preach- 
ers. While all are preachers, one man often has 
more power than forty others, though they are all 
preachers. Webster, Benton, Calhoun, Clay, etc., were 
chief men in the Senate of the United States. This 
special power may be called personal power, or moral, or 
mental power, magnetic power, or the power of knowl- 
edge, for " knowledge is power," but it cannot be merely 
official power, as we have seen. For men having the 
same office have not always the same power by far ; and 
men who have no office often exercise more power over 
the people than the highest officials. There is a " power 
behind the throne," and often all around the throne that 
is not in the throne, and that is superior to the throne. 
By this power, elders, preachers and others control very 
largely. It is a great mistake to conclude that we can 
17 



258 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

do nothing because we are not officials ; and both a great 
and ruinous mistake to suppose that officers can do 
everything. There is official power, and it carries with 
it vast responsibility. But there is personal power, not 
dependent on office ; and to this reference is made in the 
phrase — "the duties, prerogatives and responsibilities of 
the elders of Israel" These three words convey three dis- 
tinct and very important ideas. 1. They have special 
duties. 2. They have certain prerogatives, and are not 
to be slighted or disregarded. 3. They have fearful 
responsibilities. 

IV. Think of a young man, perhaps fresh from college, 
hired to make pretty speeches to the church, from which 
no one will ever learn much of the Bible or of duty, 
and hear him called "the pastor," a ma??-devised office 
and officer ; for the Bible authorizes each church to have 
a plurality of elder-pastors, called bishops. 'No young man, 
however learned, pious and endowed with personal power, 
can be a New Testament pastor. And no old man, pos- 
sessing all the qualifications named by Paul, can be more 
than a pastor, L e., one of the pastors. See such a hired 
young man assuming control of church worship, teach- 
ing and ruling, while the elders sit quietly around, often 
do nothing, and never do much. " The pastor " is hired 
and paid to do this work, and they leave it for him to 
do — and he likes it, especially if the pay is good. Often 
he does not allow the elders to pray, or say a word. 
Occasionally they are called on to give thanks, and they 
may be sent to perform some unpleasant duty. Yet 
many of them started with more capital, know more of 
the Bible, and have more power with God than six score 
of such young speech-makers ! Still we talk about fol- 
lowing the scriptures! ! ! Some of us have known re- 
peated cases where one, two, or more faithful men and 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 259 

women have built up churches, without any " official 
authority," which have done well, till " the hired pas- 
tor" came, and then the churches suffered, sometimes to 
utter ruin ! Hence, now, the importance of a better un- 
derstanding of the duties, prerogatives and responsibili- 
ties of the elders. 

These hired pastors tell the churches that they cannot 
prosper with their home elders and bishops ; that they 
must have a regular preacher, though they cannot deny 
that God's provision for the prosperity of the churches 
does not include any such hired functionary ; that he 
provides only bishops and deacons; and that anciently 
they did prosper with these alone. We tell them that, 
even now, with all our incorrect education on the sub- 
ject, more churches prosper, in the true sense of this 
word, without the hired pastor than with him ; and we 
call for the count — but hare no answer. In this we mean 
to say, 1. That this hired pastor is not of God : and 
here the pastors themselves do not take issue with us !■ 
2. That we prefer God's way, and will defend and prac- 
tice it at any and all cost. 

Preachers are not officials in the congregation at all ! ex- 
cept as man, in disregard of God's word makes them so ! 
And then their office is of man — not of God; and they 
get their reward, if at all, from man. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

Jewish Fkee-will Offerings and Finances, etc. — Voluntary offer- 
ings and their antitypes— no antitypes for constrained offerings — 
all voluntary in Christ ; collecting funds for special cases ; how 
Paul raised special collections; how the Jews were able to give 
so liberally; why so much expense for the tabernacle — not to 
encourage pride, but to teach moral worth from natural — mis- 
takes of commentators, etc. 

The dualism of the Mosaic law has been noted. The 
civil part we are not so much interested in. It has no 
antitype in Christianity, unless it is the civil laws of our 
land. There was no worship in the civil service of the 
Jews, as there is none in our civil government. The 
people were compelled to pay certain amounts to the 
government, and to do certain things. We need to under- 
stand their free-will, or voluntary offerings and service. 
In this there is a great lesson for us. 

" Ye shall offer at your own will a male without 
blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats. 
But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer : 
for it shall not be acceptable for you. And whosoever 
offereth a sacrifice of peace offering unto the Lord, to ac- 
complish his vow, or a peace offering in beeves or sheep, 
it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no 
blemish therein." Lev. xxii: 19-21. See also, Num. xv: 
3; xxix: 39; Deut, xii : 6, 17; xvi : 10; xxiii : 23; 
2 Chron. xxxi : 14; Ezra i: 4; iii : 5; viii: 28; Ps. 
cxix: 108. 

Here we have the three items noted under another head : 
1. Only the thing required must be offered; and it must 
be perfect, i. e., without blemish, to be accepted. 2. It 

(260) 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 261 

must be offered, as these references prove, just as God di- 
rects — not anywhere or anyhow. The thing pointed out 
must be brought to the place designated, and then 
offered according to God's law. 3. It must be brought 
with a perfect or sincere heart, " with clean hands and 
pure hearts." 

In the antitype all our worship is voluntary. Forced 
or constrained worship cannot please God, or be accept- 
able to him. But the invitation is limitless : " whoso- 
ever will, let him take of the water of life freely." God 
is always willing, and as we would express it, anxious for 
us to come — "waiting to be gracious;" "not willing 
that any should perish." Yet he accepts nothing but 
the voluntary or free-will offerings of our whole bodies, 
souls, and spirits. This is the offering. " The cattle on a 
thousand hills" would be useless. He accepts the offer- 
ings he calls for, if they are offered according to his di- 
rection, and with sincere hearts. The difference in the 
type and the antitype is, in the offerings called for, and 
the manner of offering them. 

HOW THEY COLLECTED CONTRIBUTIONS FOR SPECIAL CASES. 

Besides the usual demands for money, etc., which 
were regularly provided for, the Jews, like all other 
nations, had special demands for liberality. 

At Mount Sinai, soon after their deliverance from 
Egypt, in order to the building of the tabernacle and 
providing its furniture, Moses issues this call: "Take 
ye from among you an offering unto the Lord, whoso- 
ever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering 
of the Lord, gold, and silver, and brass, and blue, and 
purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, and 
ram's skins died red, and badger skins, and shittim 
w T ood, and oil for the lights, and spices for anointing 



262 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

oil, and for the sweet incense, and onyx stones, and 
stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breast plate." 
He designated the receivers of these materials, and the 
workmen. Ex. xxv: 2-7; Ex. xxxv: 5-9, also, verse 21: 
"And they came, every one whose heart stirred him 
up, and every one whose spirit made him willing, and 
they brought the Lord's offering to the work of the 
tabernacle of the congregation and for all his service, 
and for the holy garments." Then Moses called for 
voluntary workers thus : " And Moses called Bezaleel 
and Aholiab, and every wise-hearted man in whose 
heart the Lord had put wisdom, even every one whose 
heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it." 
Ex. xxxvi: 2, 3. "And they [the workmen] received 
of Moses all the offerings which the children of Israel 
had brought for the work of the service of the sanctu- 
ary, to make it withal. And they brought yet to 
him free offerings every morning." And verses 4, 5 : 
" Then all the wise men that wrought all the work of 
the sanctuary, came, every man from his work which 
they made ; and they spake unto Moses saying, the peo- 
ple bring much more than enough for the service of the 
work, which the Lord commanded to make." Then 
Moses gave commandment " and the people were re- 
strained from bringing." Verse 6. 

"We could not have a better example of free, liberal, 
prompt and abundant giving, for a special purpose. 
But one call was made; and that was rather in the 
form of a permit: "let" those who have, and those 
whose hearts prompt them, give. Then came the re- 
straining order; for the "people brought much more 
than enough." Not often do we find such ready and 
abundant liberality, even among Christians. 

In the building of the temple we have another case of 



LIVE RELIGIO US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 2C3 

great voluntary and prompt liberality, for a special pur- 
pose. See 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles. In 1 Chron. 
xxix : 4, 6, etc., we see the wonderful liberality of David 
and his princes. And Solomon and his princes were no 
less liberal for this house of God. So, too, when the 
temple was to be rebuilt under Ezra, we have the same 
special call, and great liberality for a special purpose. See 
Ezra and Xehemiah. So it was in building the wall 
long afterwards. 

Here we have, in the typical dispensation, regular 
contributions for the regular, or ordinary expenses of 
the Lord's service ; and we have as distinctly the special 
contributions for special purposes. Both of these have 
their well-marked antitypes in Christ. The Lord's day 
or weekly contributions into the church treasury, as God 
has prospered each one; (Acts ii : 42 ; 1 Cor. xvi : 1, 2.) 
for the ordinary expenses, including the poor; and spe- 
cial demands for special occasions ; as in Acts ii : 44-47; 
iv : 32-37. Also the women who voluntarily aided 
Paul; Horn, xvi: 2, and to end of the chapter, and 
Paul to Philemon, etc. A special collection was raised 
for the poor saints at Jerusalem, twice. Acts xi: 
27-30; Rom. xv: 25-29; 1 Cor. xvi: 1,2,3; 2 Cor. 
viii ; ix : 3. We can, therefore, have no excuse or apol- 
ogy for " devising ways and means " for getting funds 
for the Lord's work, unless we are displeased with the 
Lord's way, and think we can improve upon it ! Surely 
we cannot be excused for not understanding God's plan 
for raising money, since it is fully given both in the 
type and antitype. Why then resort to any human de- 
vice ? The Lord will not accept offerings that are not 
made willingly. Shall we, then, " devise " means that 
will cause the people to give when they are not willing? 
Shall we constrain them, by a policy of our own ? God 



2Q>± LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

did not and will not do this ; nor will lie accept or bless 
such devices. 

Any departure from these ways, {. e. 9 any human de- 
vice, or plan for raising money for the work of the 
Lord, is to be accounted for : 

1. By supposing ignorance on the part of the leaders. 
And this ignorance cannot be excusable in leaders since, 
the law is plain. 

2. By supposing the leaders are not pleased with the 
divine way, and prefer one of their own. This would 
show lack of faith in God, and lack of reverence for 
his word. 

If such departures are to be tolerated, there is no 
telling what changes may be made in the divine system. 
Soon it would be with us, as it was with the Jews, when 
it was said : " Every man did that which was right in 
his own eyes." God's will was despised, and man's will 
prevailed ! And yet they called this serving God ! To 
avoid this seems to be the leading purpose in the ]SFew 
Testament. It is the fixed purpose of this volume that 
the will of God be done on earth as in heaven, and 
man's will entirely subjected to it. 

HOW THE JEWS WERE ABLE TO GIVE LIBERALLY. 

Many are willing to give, and not able ; and many 
are able to give, and not willing. The Jews were both 
able and willing. But they had long been slaves to 
Pharaoh, and this building of the tabernacle, for which 
they gave so readily and abundantly, was the second 
month after their deliverance. And they were travel- 
ing and spending—not making. Hence, it is a question 
with many, where they got their wealth. 

They were then, as ever since, and to-day, peculiarly 
successful in money-making; and while in Egypt, they 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 265 

had much cattle and other property, which, of course, 
brought much money. They were slaves to Pharaoh ; 
not to individuals. And the providence of God is very 
clearly marked in making the Egyptians very anxious 
for them to leave. They said, after the death of their 
first horn : " We he all dead men." The king, too, was 
urging them to start. Taking advantage of this anx- 
iety on their part, "the children of Israel borrowed," 
or Dr. Young says, "Asked [or demanded] of the 
Egyptians, jewels of silver and jewels of gold, and rai- 
ment : " for it seems they were otherwise poor. "And 
the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the 
Egyptians ; so that they " lent," or rather " gave them such 
things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyp- 
tians." Ex. xii : 35, 36. They could make a good plea 
to the Egyptians, for they had served them under task- 
masters, and were unrequited. Now if their former 
masters were so desirous to get rid of them, let them 
give or pay them their dues— the wages long kept 
back. " They spoiled the Egyptians" indicates that they 
received very largely of them. And it is said, they had 
" flocks, and herds, and very much cattle." Ex. xii : 38. 
They had the wealth of Egypt. 

Besides, before reaching Mount Sinai they had war 
with Amalek; "and Joshua discomfitted Amalek and 
his people with the edge of the sword." Ex. xvii : 8-13. 
The Amalekites had great wealth, which fell into the 
hands of the children of Israel.' They had, therefore, 
their own, and the wealth of the Egyptians and the 
Amalekites; and were well able to give abundantly. 
But, 

WHY SO MUST EXPENSE ABOUT THE TABERNACLE ? 

Various writers have made estimates of the cost of 
the tabernacle ; and these guesses or proximal estimates 



266 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

might he given here. They are not given for two rea- 
sons : 1. It is impossible to determine the cost of this 
structure. 2. It could do no good if we had it by in- 
spiration. AVe know it was very great; and this is suf- 
ficent. The Bible does not give us unnecessary things, 
and we should be wiser than to desire them. 

But why this enormous expense? "Why not a plain, 
inexpensive tent, such as Abraham had ? We have no evi- 
dence that he had a house, or that his tents were costly. 
This seemed to be a good example for a rich man to set. 
He moved from place to place, as the necessity of his herds 
demanded ; and Israel moved, also, not only while in the 
wilderness , but also long after they entered the prom- 
ised land — till Jerusalem was divinely chosen, and be- 
came, under David, the permanent abode of the ark. 
And it would have been much more convenient and 
economical to have a plain tent, one more easily taken 
down, carried, and put up again. 

The elaborate cost of the tabernacle and temple, which 
became the recipient of the sacred utensils and the di- 
vine presence, has been referred to often as an example 
favoring, and sometimes as evidence proving, that our 
houses of worship, etc., should be very fine and costly. 
The fine and costly garments of the priests have been 
appealed to as authority for the costliness of preachers' 
garments, etc. Some even have gowns somewhat in 
imitation of the Jewish priests, and the Savior's glorified 
apparel. Rev. i : 13-17. But this would be in direct 
conflict with both the letter and the spirit of the gospel 
of Christ. Neither Christ nor any of his ancient min- 
isters or servants were ever arrayed in gaudy or costly 
attire. The probabilities are that Peter preached the 
gospel in his fisher's garments; and there is good reason 
for concluding that Paul never had what most preachers 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 267 

liow would call a "decent suit of clothes," from his con- 
version to his martyrdom. Had he been thus supplied 
he might not have so far turned aside from his life work 
as to do manual labor for a support for himself and his 
co-laborers. Besides, he would not have enjoined on 
others that which he did not practice himself; he was 
an example, and called on his brethren to follow his ex- 
ample. And he says : " I will therefore that men pray 
everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and 
doubting. In like manner, also, that women adorn 
themseves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and 
sobriety ; not with braided [or plaited, m.] hair, or 
gold, or pearls, or costly array ; but, [which becometh 
women professing godliness,] with good works." 1 
Tim. ii : 8-10. Certainly Paul would require as much 
of the brethren. And Peter has the same to his breth- 
ren in the dispersion : " "Whose adorning let it not be 
that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wear- 
ing of gold, or of putting on of apparel ; but let it [the 
adorning] be the hidden man of the heart, in that 
which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek 
and quiet spirit, which is, in the sight of God, of great 
price." 1 Peter iii: 3, 4. Pew passages of Scripture 
are less popular than these. Few have been more sadly 
and manifestly perverted by those they hit squarely in the 
face. They would like to construe them to mean some- 
thing that does not condemn them. The meaning is 
very plain to an humble and contrite heart. No ap- 
parel is the adorning "of great price before" God that 
is put on the body, or worn on the head. It is a "meek 
and quiet spirit," All "costly array or clothing are for- 
bidden. It does not commend us to God, or to sensible 
men and women ; and it does serve to make the heart 
proud and vain. And if this were not so, we can surely 



268 LIVE BELIGIO US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 

make a better use of our means and time. The hungry 
need feeding, the naked need clothing, the orphans and 
widows need aid and comfort, and the heathen need 
the gospel. So do many all around us. Alas ! for that 
man or woman who can imagine that adorning their 
poor perishing bodies in " costly array " is mere impor- 
tant that these several good works — the best represen- 
tatives of " pure and undefied religion before God and 
the Father." If there are any such it would be useless 
to exhibit to them the true light, or beauty, or glory of 
heaven. 

No ! both the letter and the spirit of the gospel for- 
bid all unnecessary expense, and all show of pride or 
vanity, as certainly as any vice or wrong is or can be 
forbidden. To reason with those who are not willing 
to give up these things, and are of "those who justify 
themselves before men," is to " cast pearls before swine," 
homely and crude as this comparison may seem. And 
they will " trample under " their unsanctified feet all 
the evidence heaven can give, and then "turn again and 
rend you." Let them alone, unless they may be con- 
verted. "Ephraim is joined to his idol." We may only 
hope to profit those who have " another spirit," like 
Caleb. Num. xiv : 24. Do we not hear these " lovers 
of [worldly] pleasure more than lovers of God " say, O, 
then we must not put on " apparel " at all, we ought to 
be decent. How often they say, " I like to see" this and 
that? — even while the case is so plain, "That none by 
comment could it plainer make." They will not reason 
so, or feel so, when the rottenness of the grave is about 
to envelope them. Alas ! " their minds are blinded " 
now. 

Now, if both the letter and the spirit of the type and 
the antitype of the religion of Christ, are supremely 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 2G9 

characterized by humility, self-denial, crucifying the 
flesh, cross bearing, caring for the welfare of others, and 
so transcribing into our own lives the life of him 
" who, when he was rich, for our sakes became poor, 
that we through his poverty might be rich;" who " went 
about doing good ; " who never turned away one hum- 
ble soul, or refused one favor humbly and properly ask- 
ed ; who "had not where to lay his head" — the Creator 
and Possessor of the universe poorer than the foxes 
and the fowls ! If this is the religion of the New Tes- 
tament, how can we imagine that its type in the Old 
Testament was intended to justify, foster, and encourage 
all that is selfish, proud, strengthening to the flesh, and 
in disregard, or at the expense of suffering humanity ! ! 
It cannot be ! No, never! The gold and pearls, and all 
the great expense and show of the tabernacle and the 
temple were for another purpose. To so construe it is to 
bring it into deadly conflict with the divinest features 
of Christianity, and to " deceive our own souls." 

President Milligan says : 

" The gold, the silver, and the fine linen seem to de- 
note merely the great value and purity of all that is in 
God's presence. See Revelation 21st and 22nd chapters." 

These two chapters describe heaven — " The home of 
God and of the soul." 

" The city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And 
the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished 
with all manner of precious stories, etc. No place on 
earth, or in the imaginations of men without the Bible, 
can even faintly approach its grandeur and magnifi- 
cence ! It had its tree of life, and its fountain of water, 
etc., all earthly and material. 

Still, commentators, the most learned and profound, 
on this undenominational question, where there is noth- 



270 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

ing personal to pervert their judgment, do not contem- 
plate seeing any literal gold there, or any walls of any 
kind, or any trees, or anything material, as a fountain of 
water. 

Why, then, all this imagery ? For the best reason in 
the world ! This was the very best way to give to man 
the most exalted idea of the real value and importance 
of heaven. These materials were and are the richest of 
all the wealth of earth, of all that was known to man. 
And a city composed of them is chosen to represent 
heaven, no more could be done to give to the finite mind 
of man a correct idea of the true immaterial heaven. 

When the divine being would give us an idea of an 
intangible, immaterial something which we never saw, 
he just points to something we have seen and are ac- 
quainted with, and tells us it is like that. Thus, when 
the Savior would give his hearers the best idea of his 
kingdom, which, at that time, no man had seen, he 
said : " It is like a wedding feast for a king's son ; like 
a vineyard ; like a sheep fold," etc., with all of which his 
hearers were familar. So Satan was " like a roaring lion 
seeking whom he may devour;" Jesus is like a shepherd 
— the good shepherd, and his disciples are like sheep, 
in some particulars. Thus Jesus illustrated and taught 
spiritual and eternal things by carnal and temporal 
things. So he does when he describes heaven as a city 
of gold etc. Because such a literal and material city 
best represents a spiritual, immaterial and eternal city. 
And intelligent Christians expect to find, in that heav- 
enly state, something as far superior to gold and pearls 
of earth as the spiritual is superior to the animal ; as 
God is superior to man ; as heaven is superior to earth 
in its best estate ! How glorious, uplifting and strength- 
ening is this view of the case ! The animal sacrifices 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 271 

under Mosaism but poorly illustrated and adumbrated 
the true sacrifice — Christ ; and yet they were the best na- 
ture afforded. No more could be done. And when the 
Lord would show us the excellencies of " the true 
riches," the wealth of " a meek and quiet spirit in the 
sight of God," he chose the material riches of earth 
to represent, illustrate and adumbrate the spiritual 
riches and glory in Christ — not the "gold and pearls and 
costly array" which the proud wear on their poor dy- 
ing bodies ! ! ! — not the fine and costly houses called 
churches, built largely of the hard earnings of the poor, 
and in whose shadow the poor toil and suffer for bread 
and clothes ! ! ! No ! no ! True wealth is a heart puri- 
fied by faith in Christ, and consecrated in holy obedi- 
ence to the gospel. Wealth of heart, wealth of wisdom 
and knowledge, wealth of usefulness, of kindness, etc., 
are in bold and wonderful contrast with the poverty of 
sin, of ignorance, of vice and of death! The Lord give 
us the true riches ! 

And just as material things were, during the entire 
ministry of the Savior, chosen to illustrate and teach 
spiritual things; as carnal and temporal things were 
chosen by Moses to set forth spiritual things in Christ ; 
and as a material city of gold is given to teach us, and 
illustrate to us the true spiritual and eternal — the third 
and only true heaven ; so a literal valley, the valley of 
the sons of Hinnom, near Jerusalem, the most terrible 
and loathsome place known to' man, is chosen to teach 
and illustrate the final abode of the wicked. This lit- 
eral valley had in it literal fire and brimstone — worms, 
etc. And hence that which is represented by these has 
in it that which is called fire and brimestone, "the worm 
that never dies, and the fire that is not quenched ; "just as 
we have gold and pearls in the richest profusion referred 



272 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

to in heaven. And as we do not expect to see any lit- 
eral gold, pearls, etc., there, but something infinitely 
better ; so we may not expect to see in hell any literal 
fire and brimstone — or worms ; but something best rep- 
resented by these, and perhaps far worse. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

The Flood and Noah's Ark.— Analysis of 1 Peter iii: 18-21 (after 
reading Gen. vi, vii) ; Christ suffered for sins ; quickened by the 
Spirit ; went and preached to the spirits in prison through Noah ; 
while the Ark was preparing ; the Ark; saved from the wicked 
by water ; saved in and by the Ark, from drowning ; the like 
figure or antitype, even baptism, saves us ; meaning of the filth 
of the flesh ; the answer of a good conscience ; by the resurrec- 
tion of Christ; the synthesis, after a general and accurate ac- 
quaintance with Gen. vi, vii, viii, and 1 Peter iii, and seeing that 
all this is typical of developments in Christ; Ruinous effects 
of sin; Noah's faithfulness; but one Ark, — but one Church; 
importance of being in the ark — in the Church; A fable of 
the giraffe, and how he got in; but one door, — how Christ is 
the door ; the literal entrance ; safety in the Ark only ; all 
food, etc., in the Ark — the Church; All light came from above, 
and does now; all comfort, good society, government in the 
Ark ; its final landing ; delivering up the Kingdom ; landing of 
Old Ship of Zion. 

The plan of this work requires the examination of 
one more type from the Old Testament; and the flood 
and Noah's ark is selected. Some things in this are 
rather scientific and speculative than practical ; as the 
structure of the ark, whether the flood was universal or 
only local, etc. As these are not very clear, and are of 
little or no practical importance to us, they may be 
passed by, without serious detriment. 

Let us read 1 Peter iii: 18-21, (the revision) : " Be- 
cause Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for 
the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being 
put to death in the flesh, but quickened in the Spirit; in 
which also he went, and preached to the spirits in prison, 
18 (273) 



274 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

which aforetime were disobedient, when the long suffer- 
ings of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark 
was preparing; wherein few, that is, eight souls were 
saved through water, which also after a true likeness 
[or antitype] doth now save you, even baptism, not the 
putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interroga- 
tion of a good conscience toward God, through the res- 
urrection of Jesus Christ." 

First, let us have an analysis of this passage ; and then 
a proper synthesis will give us the case. 

Observe: — This was addressed to the Jewish Chris- 
tians, who were acquainted with the Old Testament, 
with the flood, and with God's dealings with the ancients 
far better than others were. 

Christ suffered for sins. It was always important to 
keep before the people the fact that, Christ suffered for 
sins, not his own. Sin has always caused suffering; and 
in this case there was no forgiveness, but by the suffer- 
ing of Christ. How important that we keep this con- 
tinually in mind, and the consequent obligations. 

Put to death in the flesh, quickened in or by the Spirit. It- 
was the flesh, not the Spirit of Jesus that died. 

Went and preached to the spirits in prison. Here we 
have two questions. 1. What is the prison? 2. How 
did Christ, by his Spirit, preach to the spirits there ? 
The prison was the world, in which they were as effectu- 
ally shut up as if the prison had been smaller. They 
could not fly to any other planet or world. God's spirit, 
through Noah, preached to these spirits. " And the Lord 
said my Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that 
he also is flesh ; yet his days shall be an hundred and 
twenty years." Gen. vi : 3. See Gen. vi, vii chapters, 
etc. And 2 Peter ii : 5. Noah is called " a preacher of 
righteousness." Isa. xlii : 7; lxi : 1, etc. God never 



LIVE REL1GI0 US ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 275 

preached to the wicked by his Spirit, except through 
those in whom the Spirit dwelt — never once. Note 
this. 

When once the long sufferings of God waited, in the days of 
Noah, while the ark was preparing. This gives the time, 
place and circumstances, and needs no comment or ex- 
planation. It is a rule in Biblical criticism and exegesis, 
that we shall not regard a passage as figurative or mys- 
tical, when we can understand and harmonize it literal- 
ly. Nothing was more literal than that flood, ark, 
preaching through and by Noah, etc. The fact that 
they are used as a type or illustration for us, is not 
against this view of the case. The vineyard was literal, 
the sheep-fold, shepherd, etc. Still they are used as 
comparisons to illustrate spiritual things. 

The ark — in which eight souls toere saved by, or through 
water. "Saved by water 7" And yet saved "in the ark\" 
It would not be too much to say they were saved by the 
ark. Yet there is no conflict. They were saved from 
drowning by the ark. Without it, and without being in 
it, they would have perished with the wicked. And by 
water they were saved from the wicked, from their scoffs 
and jeers and taunts, etc., for the water drowned them. 
This was the first recorded case of salvation by water — 
and such a salvation ! Yet they were not saved from 
drowning by the water. This was the office of the ark. 
The second case of salvation by water was at the red sea, 
when the Israelites were "baptized unto Moses in the 
cloud and in the sea." The water saved them from 
Pharaoh and his hosts by drowning their enemies. Let 
no man, therefore, speak lightly of being saved from the 
worst enemies by water. Water is a factor in human 
life and in salvation from enemies. 

The like figure, or antitype — baptism, now saves us. Here 



276 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

also we have two ideas. 1. Baptism saves us. 2. It is 
an antitype of the flood. " The antitype or exact rep- 
resentation " seems to include the whole connection and 
circumstances, but especially baptism. " Fifteen cubits 
upward did the waters prevail ; and the mountains were 
covered." Gen. vii: 20. This was a pretty thorough 
burial, or overwhelming — immersion, as was that of Isra- 
el at the red sea. The flood was a type of the baptism, 
which " saves us." So Peter says. The defense of Peter 
is not just now the matter in hand, we are trying to un- 
derstand him, only. When we are baptized, having 
faith and repentance, we pass out of the world, away 
from our enemies, and into Christ, " in whom we have 
redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Bom. viii : 1 ; 
Eph. i: 7; Gal. iii : 27. "Baptized into Christ." In 
Christ we also receive the Holy Spirit, to comfort, aid and 
strengthen us to resist all our enemies, and do our duty. 
Acts ii : 38 ; Gal. iv : 6 ; Eom. viii : 9. When, there- 
fore, we have passed out of the dominion of sin, our 
sins are forgiven, and we have this helper, we realize the 
antitype here presented. 

Not putting away the filth of the flesh. This baptism is 
not to cleanse the body, as were the " divers washings 
and carnal ordinances " of Moses. It is not one of the 
Mosaic washings, but a new ordinance of Christ. " The 
filth of the flesh " does not mean sins, but bodily defile- 
ment, as when one touches a dead body. See Num. v : 
2: ix: 6, 7; Jer. xix : 13; Ezk. iv : 13; Lev. v: 13; 
xiii : 46 ; xv : 32 ; xviii : 25, 27 ; Mark vii : 2. " The 
disciples ate bread with defiled, that is with unwashed 
hands." The leper, after being cured, was to wash, bathe 
himself in water, and shave off all his, hair, to be sure he 
was clean, before he could enter the congregation. Lev. 
xiv : 8, 9. So of him who had a running issue. Lev. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 277 

xv : 5, 8, 11, 13, 21, 27; xvi : 26. The word here ren- 
dered filth is rhupos, which Dr. Young says means, 
"filth, dirty See Prov. xxx : 12 ; Isa. xxviii : 8 ; 2 Cor. 
vii : 1, " Cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh 
and spirit." There is a filthiness of the flesh, and also 
a filthiness of spirit. James i : 21 : " All filthiness and 
superfluity of naughtiness." God's people are to be 
clean physically and spiritually ; decent, orderly, gentle- 
men and ladies in the best sense of these words. They 
are to allow " no unbecoming speech to proceed out 
of their mouths." Eph. iv : 29; Matt, xii: 36. All 
this is strictly true, and of great importance ; but bap- 
tism was not, and is not designed to cleanse the flesh. 
This is all that is here affirmed. And this is only to 
guard against error, and to prepare for the true design of 
baptism. 

The interrogation, seeking, or answer of a good conscience 
towards God. The word (eperooteema) here rendered an- 
swer, in the common version, literally means seeking, in- 
terrogation, looking out for, i. e., seeking. Hence these 
various renderings. But in all the translations, we 
have the same idea as to the future of the conscience. If 
it is the answer, we do not have it till we are baptized. 
If it is seeking, asking or looking after it, we have it not 
yet in possession — it is in or beyond baptism ; never be- 
fore. Xo translator or critic questions this. While 
baptism is not to cleanse the body, yet cleansing the soul 
or conscience is clearly connected with it. Hence, we 
read elsewhere of this same washing, or baptism to 
cleanse. Eph. v: 25,26. " That he might sanctify and 
cleanse it [the church] with the washing of water by 
the word," or as Mr. Wesley renders this, "having 
cleansed it with a bath of water by the word." Acts 
xxii: 16, Ananias said to Saul: "Arise and be baptized, 



278 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the 
Lord." The Corinthians had been a very wicked people ; 
hence in 1 Cor. vi : 11, Paul says : "But ye are washed, 
but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of 
the Lord," etc. So in Heb. x : 22 : Now, as Christians, 
" Let us draw near in full assurance of faith, having [or 
having had] our hearts sprinkled [or purified] from an 
evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water;" 
simple water, not the Mosaic holy water. All this was 
for the conscience — the inner man ; not the flesh. 

By the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul continually 
brings up, and keeps before his readers the sufferings of 
Christ and his resurrection. Here the latter is well re- 
ferred to; for their baptism, their faith, their repent- 
ance, their confession, prayer and everything else would 
have been in vain, had not Jesus risen from the dead. 
There is, and can be no merit in anything, or in all 
things that man can do or suffer ; and hence, though 
Christ had died, " If Christ be not raised, your faith is 
vain ; ye are yet in your sins." 1 Cor. xv : 14, 17. 

THE SYNTHESIS OF THESE LESSONS. 

Two things are necessary to the proper appreciation 
of the facts and truths here developed : 

1. A close and accurate acquaintance with the sixth, 
seventh and eighth chapters of Genesis, where we have 
the history of Noah, the flood and the ark. 

2. Noting that all this was typical of matters devel- 
oped in Christianity. This appears in the language of 
Peter already cited, and in the nature of the case; that 
is, the facts there precisely fitting and adumbrating the 
facts here. We may then rapidly sum up, synthesize 
and set forth the facts and the truths in the Christian 
system which are clearly taught in this type : 



LIVE RELIGIO US ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 279 

I. The ruinous nature of sin, the free agency of man, 
in that — " all flesh had corrupted his way on the earth," 
(Gen. vi : 12) and so "bringing upon themselves swift 
destruction." 2 Peter ii: 1. The conclusion must be, 
that, as God punished sin then so he must punish sin 
now; and as God preserved the faithful then, in the 
wonderful destruction of " all flesh, ' so he will preserve 
the faithful in Christ in the general destruction of the 
world by Are, etc. 

II. Xoah was faithful in that he worked patiently on, 
" doing all that God commanded him ;" and doing "ac- 
cording unto all that the Lord commanded him." Gen. 
vi : 22 ; vii : 5. He not only did the things God com- 
manded, but he did them as, or according as the Lord 
commanded him. He did not undertake to do the thing 
commanded in his own way. He did these things, and 
he did them in God's way. And the conclusion must 
be, that we must do just what Jesus commands, and 
that we must do this in his way, so far as the way is 
given ; and when it is not given, or so far as it is not 
given, we must do them so as to avoid conflict with 
what is directed, and so preserve in tact the divine will. 
To undertake to do the divine bidding in a way of our 
own, and differing from the appointed way, or in con- 
flict with truth and duty, is equal to the wbrst form 
of disobedience. It is both won-obedience and trans- 
gression. It does not do as God directs, and it under- 
takes an improvement on God's way. Had Noah taken 
this course there is no reason for concluding that the 
ark would have served its purpose. And as that lesson 
was in the type, so is it in the antitype. Let us observe 
it carefully. 

III. There was but one ark. There must, therefore, 
be but one church, the manifest and acknowledged anti- 



280 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE BAY. 

type of that ark. How forcibly is this taught in the 
New Testament ! See the prayer of the Savior, John 
xvii. The oneness prayed for is like that between the 
Father and the Son. So in Eph. iv : 1-8 ; 1 Cor. xii, 
etc. If Paul were living now it is evident that he would 
not unite with any sect or party in Christendom : he 
would seek to be simply a Christian, and would strive 
" for the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace," for 
Christian union on Christian principles — doing God's 
work in God's way. 

IV. It was not enough to have the ark and to believe 
in the ark and in God — they must enter the ark. "When 
God commanded, (Gen. vii : 1) " Noah went in, and his 
sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him into 
the ark." Gen. vii : 7. Had they refused they must 
have perished, as did all who did not enter. They might 
have said : " It is no use. The ark cannot save us. 
God must save us or we are lost. God was the Savior, 
but he would save in his own way, in the ark, not out 
of it. And if the church is the antitype, which is nev- 
er questioned, then we must go into the church. 
Though the church cannot save us, we must not look 
for Jesus to save us in rebellion. True, if some cannot 
come into the church, there is nothing in the Christian 
system inhibiting the Lord's saving them, if they do all 
they can. But he will not save those who can enter his 
church, and persistently will not. 

A fable has come down to us, as to the beasts entering 
ing Noah's ark, to this effect : One of Noah's sons was 
in the mountains, and saw a giraffe. Coming home, when 
the ark was about completed, he said to his father : 
Father, we have made one terrible mistake in building 
the ark. The father said, how is that, my son? The 
son said: Why, you know we are to take in two of 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 281 

every kind of beasts, and I saw in the mountains some 
beasts with heads twenty to thirty feet high. JSTow 
they can never get into the ark through that low door, 
never in the world, and we will have to alter it, or dis- 
obey this command. The father said : My son, I made 
that door just the size God directed, and just as he di- 
rected, and I propose to let it remain so. It will be 
right. The son said : Never, father. The beast I saw 
can never get in through that low door. The father 
said: Well, son, we will wait on God and see. And 
when the giraffes walked up to the door they were 
watched with intense interest. They halted and look- 
ed; looked into the ark, and looked at the howling 
storm and raging waters outside. Then the leader, by 
degrees, lowered his head and got on his knees, and 
crawled in, and the other followed. This is the humility 
that the high-headed need in order to come into Christ's 
church — the antitype. 

V. There icas but one doorway into the ark. And there 
can be but one door into the church. Jesus said to 
Xicodemus, John iii : 5 : " Except a man be born of 
water and the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of 
God." This proves three things. 1. That there is a 
way by which aliens can enter the kingdom of God. 2. 
That there is but one way ; and this applies to all men. 
"A man" is generic. The more liberal rendering is 
" any man." 3. Water is somehow connected with this 
entrance, and also something here called a birth. But 
Paul says we are baptized into Christ. Rom. vi: 3; 
Gal. iii : 27. Now, if there is but one way, and baptism 
is one way of entrance, then this must be the meaning 
of " born of water and Spirit." Buried in the water, and 
coming up from it (born — eh— from the water, is the lit- 
eral idea,) is a birth of water. And when this is by the 



282 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

direction, and under the influence and prompting of the 
Holy Spirit, it is a birth of water and Spirit, not two 
births, one of water and one of Spirit, but one birth of 
water by the direction and begetting, or prompting of 
the Spirit through the gospel. Hence, Dr. Wall, the 
celebrated author of the most learned and elaborate his- 
tory of infant baptism — himself a pedo-baptist, said he 
had examined all the authors for the first four hundred 
years, and there was not any one of them that did not 
understand John, iii : 5 of baptism ; (and he meant im- 
mersion, for they all immersed then) and he adds : " If it 
be not understood of baptism, it would be difficult to 
tell how one can be born of water any more than born 
of wood." 

But we are told that Jesus says, John x : 9, that he is 
the door. " I am the door, by me if any man enter in 
he shall be saved," etc. How shall we understand this? 
Well, in the first place, it will not do to construe it so as 
to conflict with the unmistakably plain passages above 
quoted. The word (thura) here rendered door, is found 
in the New Testament thirty-nine times, and while it 
means the way or place of entrance, the shutter, it 
means also opportunity, or privilege of entrance. Indeed, 
it has this meaning always. The opening gives an op- 
portunity, or renders it possible to enter. Acts xiv : 27, 
" A door of faith was opened to the Gentiles." " For a 
great door and effectual is opened to me." 1 Cor. xvi : 
9. A door was opened to Paul at Troas to preach 
Christ ; 2 Cor. ii : 12, i.e., a favorable opportunity. And 
Col. iv: 3, He speaks of a door of entrance. Eev. iii: 
8, " I have set before thee an open door." See verse 20. 
Rev. iv : 1, " A door (was) opened in heaven." That is, 
a way by which people might enter. Just so, Jesus is 
the door, the open way of entrance into the kingdom of 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 283 

God; not a literal opening like a door in a house or a 
wall, but an opportunity, an authority by which we may 
enter into God's kingdom and God's favor. None but 
Christ can point out the steps to be taken. And the 
passages quoted give these, and tell us there is no other 
way. 

Some good people are not in this kingdom or church, 
(for he is not here referring to the everlasting kingdom 
i. g., heaven, but to the church ;) as in the case of Corne- 
lius before his baptism. Indeed, people must be pure in 
heart as a preparation for entrance. This purity or 
change of heart does not enter them, however. It only 
gives them the power or privilege to enter. Only 
to penitent believers is this privilege given. See 
John i : 12. But some bad people did enter. See 
the bad fish in the net. Matt, xiii : 47, 48, 49. They 
are bastards in the divine family ; God is not their 
Father. Heb. xii : 8. Like the man who forced him- 
self into the king's dining-room without the wedding 
garment, they are as truly and literally in as are the 
good ; but not by right, and they shall be put out. 
Matt, xxii : 13, "Bind him hand and foot, and cast him 
out into outer darkness." 

We may have to stoop very low, as the giraffes did, to 
get into the ark; but this is the doorway — a birth of 
water and Spirit. The door or entrance into heaven is an- 
other question, but one of infinite importance. For 
though we may, by fraud, get into the church, yet 
" without holiness no man shall see the Lord," that is, 
enjoy God in the u home of the soul." 

VI. There was safety in the ark. There is safety in the 
church, if we "walk worthy of the vocation wherewith 
we are called." Those who imagine they can serve God 
and get to heaven out of the church, are as far wrong as 



284 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

would be a man who would conclude that being in the 
vine was not necessary to life and fruit bearing on the 
part of the branches. To live out of the church, when 
it is in our power to live in it, is to live in disobedience. 
The road to heaven was not made by man, and it is not 
disobedience. 

VII. All food, drink, society and every necessary thing, was 
in the ark. Everything necessary to life and godliness is 
in the church. As the people in the ark needed not to 
go out, and could not with any safety ; so those in the 
church need not to go out of it for any good thing, and 
cannot with any propriety or safety. All the ordinances 
are in the church. All the promises are in the church. 
The divine order and arrangement for teaching, admon- 
ishing and helping one another, are in the church. The 
ways and means for preaching the gospel to the world, 
to the whole world, are in the church, and do not have to 
be " devised" outside of the church and the Bible. So 
of " every good thing." Christians are complete in 
Christ. 

VIII. All the light in the ark was from above, through one 
window. All the light needed for the Christian life and 
warfare is in the church, through the Bible. To the 
church is committed the oracles of God — the Bible; 
which is a light to our feet and a lamp to our path. 

IX. All the comfort Noah and his family had was in the 
ark. All the comfort Christians have is in the church, 
including the Holy Spirit, " whom the world cannot re- 
ceive." 

X. All the truly good society on earth was in the ark. All 
the truly good society under heaven, is in the church. 
The beasts, etc., in the ark were incidental to the sit- 
uation, they were not society for Noah and his family, and 
were not typical. Christians are a peculiar people, sep- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 285 

arated from the world, and devoted to God. The Lest of 
all good things is in the church, and in the richest pro- 
fusion. Let no one he tempted to go out of the church for 
any good thing. " The Lord is a sun and a shield, 
and no s;ood thing will he withhold from them that walk 
uprightly." 

XL There was a head, a captain, a government, and obe- 
dience in the ark, Jesus is head of the church, his under 
shepherds, the hishops, are to keep order in the church, 
preserve purity of worship, defend, protect and feed the 
flock. 

XII. It xoas just as important to remain in the ark as to 
get into it. To do so, obedience to the laws and author- 
ity of the ark was necessary. It is just as important to 
remain in the church as to get into it ; and to do so we must 
respect and obey the laws and authority of the church. 
Otherwise we shall, even while in the flesh, be " delivered 
to Satan for the destruction of the flesh," etc. 

XIII. The ark had its final landing, and discharged its 

inmates. The church will have her final landing, or will 

be " delivered up to God, even the Father." 1 Cor. xv : 

24. Till that time we are shut up to it, and in it. Its 

welfare is our welfare. Its safety is our safety. Its 

honor is our honor. Its prosperity is our prosperity. 

Its joy should be our joy. Every member should be 

able to sing : 

"I love thy church, O God, 

Her walls before thee stand, 
Dear as the apple of thine eye, 

And graven on thy hand. 

For her rny tears shall fall, 

For her my prayers ascend ; 
To her ray toils and cares be given, 

Till toils and cares shall end. 

Beyond my highest joy, 

I prize her heavenly ways, 
Her sweet communion, solemn vows, 

Her hymns of love and praise." 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

The Worship of God. — Meaning of worship at length, critically — heart 
reverence, manifested by bowing and obedience, as God manifest- 
ed his love by Christ ; true worship — what is necessary to it ; false 
or vain worship, and what it is, in detail ; mixed worship, and what 
it is — exemplifications and meanings ; the objects of worship — to 
please God and share his blessings; importance of pure worship 
— transforming us into the image and likeness of the object wor- 
shiped — kinship to God and fitness for heaven. 

The Bible marks an important difference between 
mere worship and the worship of all other beings and 
things, and the true worship of God. To develop this 
subject properly we must consider : 1. "What is meant 
by worship. 2. True worship. 3. False worship. 4. 
Mixed worship. 5. Objects to be accomplished by 
worship. 

I. Meaning of worship. The word, in some form, 
occurs about one hundred and ninety times in the 
Bible, and fully authorizes the meanings given it in our 
dictionaries. Dr. Young, in his Analytical Concordance, 
finds it used to mean : 

1. To bow down, do obeisance, (H. segad) eleven 
times. 

2. To make an idol, (H. estab) one time. 

3. To do, serve, (H. abad) five times. 

4. To bow self down, (H. shachah) ninety-six times. 
Gen. xxii: 5 : "I and the lad will go yonder and wor- 
ship." That is, "bow ourselves down." This is its 
leading meaning, worship, being used more frequently 
in this sense than in all others ; and it never loses this 
leading idea. 

5. Glory, esteem, (G, doxa) one time, 
(286) 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE BAY. 287 

6. To be reverential, pious, (G. eusebeo) one time. 

7. To serve, cure, heal, (G. therapco) one time. 

8. Religious observance, (G. threskeia) one time. 

9. To worship publicly, (G. latreuo) four times. 

10. A temple sweeper, (G. neokaros) one time. 

11. To kiss [the hand] towards, (G. proskuneo) fifty- 
eight times. 

12. A worshiper, (G. proskunetes) one time. 

13. To venerate, reckon venerable, (G. sebazo) one 
time. 

14. To venerate, (G. setromai) six times. 

15. An object of veneration, (G. sebasmos) one time. 

16. Worshiper of God, (G. theosebes) one time. 

In all its forms, and in its derivations, it has the idea 
of worth and worthiness, and generally of bodily pros- 
tration. 

Liddell and Scott define proskuneo, found sixty times 
in the New Testament, to mean, " To kiss the hand to 
another as a mark of respect ; to do obeisance to an- 
other, especially the oriental fashion of making the 
salam, or prostrating one's self, before kings and superiors." 
Thus, in the Old Testament, the Hebrew word (shachah) 
rendered worship ninety-six times, means, "to bow self 
down ; " and in the New Testament the Greek word 
(proskuneo) sixty times rendered worship, means, "pros- 
trating one's self before kings or superiors." Thus the 
English word, worship must, one hundred and fifty-six 
times, mean to bow down, prostrate self, leaving b .it forty- 
four times for its use in other senses ; and an c samina- 
tion of these will show any one that they all Lave the 
same idea, also. So, indeed, they must, accord. Ag to an 
established lexicographical rule, viz : that a word shall 
never be used in a sense that conflicts with its root, or 
primary meaning. 



288 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

We have fall, fell, falling, etc., five hundred and sev- 
enty times, favoring the same idea. Many of these are 
falling prostrate on the ground. This attitude is most 
expressive of the deepest humility and reverence. Thus, 
Saul " fell flat on the ground." 1 Sam. xxviii : 20. 
And Num. xxii : 31 : " Bowed down his head, and fell 
flat on his face." We have about seventy of these cases. 
Jesus fell down, Paul fell down, Peter fell down, 
John fell down, Satan required that Jesus should " fall 
down and worship him." And this is as natural as it is 
scriptural. All men bow down, kneel, or fall prostrate 
when they wish to show common respect, and especial- 
ly when they worship their God." Eising up as "before 
the hoar head," may show respect, but is not the worship 
of God. There is no case on record where people rose 
up and stood erect to worship God. 

But people cannot always kneel, or fall prostrate. 
Perhaps they cannot always even bow their heads. 
And in the service that grows out of, and is a part of 
worship, as the breaking of the loaf, singing, the contri- 
bution, etc., the attitude of the body is not considered. 
But whatever of all this comes not from a bowed down, 
prostrate heart, and a meek and quiet spirit, is mere rit- 
ualistic, or bodily service, and not acceptable worship 
of God. The worship of God begins with a broken 
and contrite spirit — an humbled heart, and nothing is 
acceptable worship that does not come from this, 
though it were " the cattle on a thousand hills." God's 
worship never loses the idea of humility, and the man- 
ifestation of humility, even by the attitude of the body, 
when this is reasonably practicable. See Ps. xlii : 5, 
11 ; xliii : 5 ; xcv : 6, etc. From these testimonies we 
must conclude that: 

1. God's worship is a manifestation of our faith, of re- 



LIVE RELIGIO US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 2S9 

pentance, and an humble, contrite, submissive spirit, of 
felt dependence and accountability, and of confidence in 
God. Hence, 

2. Bodily prostration. A brave soldier about to be 

shot said : 

"I bow to high heaven alone, 

And ne'er turn my back to the foe! " 

3. Bringing sacrifices under the law; and under the 
gospel, cross bearing, pecuniary and personal sacrifices, 
all manifest the state of the worshiping heart, and are, 
therefore, called acts of worship. 

"In this was manifested the love of God for us, that 
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." That 
love existed before its manifestation. So prayer is the 
expression of the desire of the heart, not simply that 
desire. And thanksgiving -and praise are expressions, 
or manifestations of gratitude and gladness — not grati- 
tude and joy, but the manifestation or expression of 
them ; as wailing is the expression of sorrow of heart. 
So we express our faith and humility by bowing down 
before God, and doing his commands. Obedience is 
both the trial of faith, and the manifestation of a wor- 
shiping heart. 

II. What is true icorship? " God is a spirit, and they 
that worship him must worship in spirit and in truth." 
John iv : 23, 24. " In spirit " must mean, spiritually, 
heartily. "In truth" means, according to truth; that 
is, as truth directs. Not in a way 'divised by men;, not 
in our own way, but in God's way — doing just what he 
commands, and as he directs. This is called "working 
the work of God," not the work of men. Paul, 2 Tim. 
ii : 5, referring to their games and races, says : " And if 
a man strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except 
he strive lawfully," or according to law. See, also, 1 
19 



290 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

Cor. ix : 25, 26. In Matt, xv : 9, referring to the Phar- 
isees, Jesus says : " But in vain they do worship me, 
teaching for doctrines the commandments of men;" 
or, as Dr. George Camphell renders this: " ohserving in- 
stitutions merely human." Human ordinances are as 
dry wells; as broken cisterns. There is none of the 
water of life in them. God is not in them. But he 
said to the Israelites, Ex. xx : 24 : " In all places where 
I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will 
bless thee." And James i: 25, says: "Whoso looketh 
into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, 
he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, 
this man shall be blessed in his deed." God's ordi- 
nances are, therefore, his means of grace to us. Thay 
are wells of living water. God is in them. " Where 
two or three are gathered together in my name, there 
am I in their midst " — there now ; always there. Matt. 
xviii : 20. 

The elements of true worship are, then : 

1. Doing just the things God commands to be done, 
and just as he directs. 

2. Doing these things spiritually, heartily, sincerely, 
with clean hands and pure hearts. See Ps. xv : 1-4; 
xxiv : 3-5; lxvi: 18. "If I regard iniquity in my 
heart the Lord will not hear me." Also Isa. i : 15, etc. 
No man can worship Gob acceptably who does injustice 
to his brother. Matt, v: 23, 24: "If thou bring thy 
gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother 
hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the 
altar, and go thy way ; first be reconciled to thy brother, 
and then come and offer thy gift." It will be sweet in- 
cense to God then. The correct idea is, "just ground 
of complaint against thee." And "reconciled to thy 
brother" cannot mean more than to do him justice with 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 291 

a loving heart. lie may refuse to be reconciled to us, 
but we can resolve to do him justice, and so, in our 
hearts, be reconciled to him. Only then can we truly 
worship. 

III. What is false, or vain worship? Matt, xv : 9, just 
quoted, calls the observance of men's commands worship. 
So also, Mark vii • 7. It is worship; but it is false 
worship, and therefore, vain. All man-made systems 
of worship are false and vain. There is a vain religion, 
also, James i : 26 : " If any man among you seem to be 
religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his 
own heart, this man's religion is vain." Some say, "he 
has no religion." He has a religion, but it is vain, be- 
cause false. Religion is a system of worship, and is 
three times applied to Mosaism. One writer says the 
Athenians had thirty thousand religions. A true and 
profitable religion is a scriptural system of worship. A 
false and vain religion is a false or human system of 
worship. It is vain, or useless, because it is false. It is 
false because it is of man. Man cannot devise or pro- 
vide a system of worship that will be pleasing to God, 
and therefore profitable to men. Hence, all false wor- 
ship may be classified thus : 

1. All human systems and objects of worship. 

2. The observance of the divine system with impure 
hearts and unclean hands. 

3. The imperfect or erroneous observance of the di- 
vine commands. As Saul did, 1 Sam. xv, when he 
saved Agag alive, and the best of the sheep and oxen. 
"We must "wholly follow the Lord," as did Caleb and 
Joshua, Enoch, ISToah, Asa and others. For God is not 
to be deceived by partial or imperfect service. And we 
may undertake to do the thing God commands, in the 
way man devises. As when the ark was carried on a 



292 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

cart and not by the priests, as God bad directed. Here 
the thing required was done, but not in the way direct- 
ed; and God "made a breach upon Uzzah." In so far 
as God has not directed us how to do his commands, we 
may do as we please, provided only that we do not dis- 
regard any portion of the divine law, or the true spirit 
of worship. But when God tells us how to do a com- 
mand, then the manner of doing is a part of the com- 
mand, and is sacred. But to cut off occasion for stumb- 
ling here, it may be observed that no impossibilities are 
ever required. The whole law to every man is just what 
he can do. His ability is the measure of his responsi- 
bility. God is not a hard Master. But he is just to 
himself and to us; and he will not accept of what is 
done when "we keep back a part." He accepts and 
blesses when he can say of us as he did of the poor 
woman : " She hath done what she could." 

The worship of an idol, however sincere, cannot be 
pleasing to God. And the worship of God after the 
systems devised by man, cannot please him, however 
sincere we may be. Saul was sincere and conscientious 
while the chief of sinners, persecuting Christians. We 
must worship as God directs ; and must search his word 
to find his will. In this was Saul's mistake. In this 
was the great mistake of the murderers of Jesus. Had 
they searched the Scriptures properly they would have 
known God's will. Thousands are now making this 
same mistake, for the same reason. And they blindly 
plead their sincerity — which cannot be greater than that 
of millions of idol worshipers to-day ! How they " deceive 
their own hearts," by their vain religion! If we are not 
content to work and worship in vain, we should search 
for the right way, and walk in it. Sin has its " wages " 
such as no one desires. Why " serve sin ? " " Godli- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 293 

ness is profitable unto all things." No part of it is in 
vain. Its reward is the true riches, and shall not rust 
or he taken from us. All may be rich. All will be 
rich who are truly wise — rich towards God ; rich in 
good works; rich in heaven; rich eternally, when all 
the riches of earth have rusted, and faded, and failed 
forever. God help us to be wise that we may be truly 
and always rich ! 

IV. Mixed worship When one is partly right and 
parti}' wrong in his worship, he is like the iron and the 
clay, in Nebuchadnezzar's vision: (Dan. ii: 87-42.) 
" partly strong and partly broken." This mixture 
may be : 

1. In worshiping God partly in his way, and partly 
in man's way. A very large part of the worship of 
to-day is of this class. Men follow the Bible so far as 
they like it, and then take their own way for the rest. 
Take our great revivalists; they preach Christ, and tell 
sinners to believe, repent, give God their hearts and call 
upon his name very well ; but they keep back a part. 
They do not tell them of baptism, of Christian union, 
the proper observance of the Lord's day, or many other 
clearly marked duties. They preach only what all de- 
nominations agree upon, and leave out the rest. This 
is a human system. It mutilates God's worship, and 
renders it largely inefficient and unacceptable. Why 
not preach and practice "the truth, the whole truth, and 
nothing but the truth? " 

2. We have a badly mixed worship, when we serve 
God a little and sin a little — or much, as many do. 
They unite with the church, and do some of God's com- 
mands, but persistently trample on all the rest. They 
assemble themselves with the saints at distant intervals 
— often only at big meetings, instead of " every first 



294 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

day of the week." They pray a little, occasionally, instead 
of " always, with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, 
and watching thereunto with all perseverance and sup- 
plication for all saints." Eph. vi: 18. And the meas- 
ure of their prayers is the extent of their worship. They 
read the Bible carelessly, perhaps for controversy, and 
only occasionally ; instead of " searching the Scriptures 
daily," as did the highly commended Bereans. Acts 
xvii : 11. And they contribute to the church treasury 
a little, and only occasionally, instead of "every first 
day of the week as God has prospered them." 1 Cor. 
xvi: 1, 2. But with the intelligent and sincere, the 
question as to their ever hearing the Master say, " well 
done," is not much mixed. 

3. Worship is terribly mixed when we worship God 
on the Lord's day, (if it is strictly according to his word,) 
and then worship mammon all the rest of the week, 
often with a very poor sense of justice to others in 
our business transactions ; certainly trampling on the 
golden rule, in that we do not " do to others as we 
would that they should do to us." Such persons are clear- 
ly not observing either of the two great parts of heavens 
religion, viz: (1) Loving God with all their hearts; (2) 
loving their neighbor as themselves. Their worship, 
is, therefore, vain, and they are "deceiving their own 
hearts." And it may be added here, that he is their best 
friend who would undeceive them before it is too late. 

V. The objects of worship. These are without argu- 
ment, to honor and please the Savior; and to do the 
very best we can for ourselves, for time and for eternity. 
To question these would not be consistent with a profes- 
sion of faith in the Bible. In the first we gain God's 
favor and blessings. In the second, we qualify ourselves 
to enjoy these blessings. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 295 

The ancient people had a proverb to this effect: That 
a man is assimilated to the object he worships, and can 
never be superior to it. The Arabs have this yet, and 
we all ought to have it. Hence the ignorance and de- 
basement of idol worshipers. They can never be supe- 
rior to their idol. He is their model. To be like him 
is the culmination of their ambition. Hence, too, the 
intelligence, spirituality and glory of the true and faith- 
ful Christian. His model has all perfections; and "we. 
shall be like him ; " which will be to possess all intelli- 
gence, glory and worth, and to "inherit all things." 

Another well understood maxim is, that we become 
like those whose company we keep. We even become 
largely like the books and papers we read, because they 
are our company and associates. Hence we hear wise 
men say, tell us what company a man keeps, and what 
books he reads, and we will tell you what kind of a 
man he is. Husbands and wives, with geniality of spir- 
it and life, are often so assimilated to each other — their 
features, voices, walk and general action — as to be some- 
times taken by strangers to be brothers and sisters. 
Xow, the highest purpose of the Christian is, to be like 
God. This will qualify us for enjoying his presence for- 
ever. Without this, we should not much, if at all, en- 
joy heaven. And the scriptural worship of God will, 
day by day, unavoidably and inevitably assimilate us to 
the divine being. It transforms and moulds us into his 
image and likeness. Xo other worship or course of 
life can do this. Therefore, as we would be prepared 
for the ills and enjoyments of this life, and for the bliss 
of the life to come, let us worship God in spirit 
and in truth. This course will produce the desired 
effect, and we shall have God's blessings and be able to 
enjoy them forever. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

The Church in Prophecy. — Meaning of prophecy, cases of miracu- 
lous prophetic teaching ; Moses at Mt, Sinai ; prophetic teaching 
concerning Christ ; New Covenant church and kingdom ; dura- 
bility and triumphs of Christianity ; its establishment and organ- 
ization; apostasy foretold, meaning of the dragon, heaven, etc.; 
other apostolic teaching on the apostasy ; how this was brought 
about, agencies and instrumentalities ; warnings for us, and con- 
firmation of our faith. 

The church in the types has appeared to excellent ad- 
vantage ; and now, in the briefest manner possible, let 
us consider the church in prophecy, from fourteen hun- 
dred years before its establishment ; and from its estab- 
lishment to the millennium and the second personal 
coming of Christ. 

MEANING OF PROPHECY. 

A close examination of the two hundred occurrings 
of this word, or its Greek representative, propheetees, 
will satisfy any one that Webster is correct in his two 
general definitions. 1. " A declaration of something to 
come; especially an inspired foretelling. 2. Public in- 
terpretation of scripture; preaching; exhortation, or 
instruction." For the latter definition see 1 Cor. xiv : 
3, 4, 24, 34. Prophesying always means teaching. Mir- 
aculously inspired prophets taught, as to the future, "the 
things to come," frequently long before they transpired. 
This class of prophets we have not now. But we have 
the other class — teachers, preachers and exhorters. In 
this sense " all may prophesy," each as he is able. 

CASES OF MIRACULOUS PROPHETIC TEACHING. 

About 1920 years before the birth of the Savior, the 
(296) 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 297 

Lord appeared to Abram, afterwards called Abraham, and 
made a covenant with him. See Gen. xii. In Gen. 13th, 
15th, 17th and 22nd chapters this covenant is also referred 
to. Circumcision was the seal of this covenant. Abram 
was to obey God, and on this condition God was, 1. To be 
his friend and protector and guide. 2. To give him the 
land of Canaan, in which he was then a stranger. 3. 
To give him a seed numerous as the stars of heaven, or 
the sand on the sea shore. 4. The seed in whom all the 
nations should be blessed — L e., Christ. Each one of 
these four promises was literally filled full. But their 
were many items not properly called promises, because 
they were not to be desired; as the facts: 1. That his 
seed should be afflicted by their enemies 400 years. 2. 
That they should come out of their bondage. 3. That 
they should spoil their oppressors, and come out with 
great riches, etc. 4. That afterwards God would judge 
their persecutors, etc. See Gen. xv: 13,14, etc. All 
this prophetic teaching was verified. And B. C. 1490, 
we find this seed of Abraham and — 

MOSES AT MOUNT SINAI. 

Here another covenant is made, in which Israel is to 
obey God, and God is to bless them, etc. Forty years 
after this, in Moses' valedictory, (see Dent. 18th and 
28th chapters) he tells them their history, which it would 
be interesting to trace. He gives a most graphic ac- 
count of their rebellions and sufferings, even to their de- 
nationality, and their being scattered among all nations, 
and their return; then their second dispersion; and 
then he looks beyond the coming of Christ, to their fi- 
nally returning to their own land, their conversion to 
Christ, etc. A volume would be filled with these de- 
tails and their fulfillment thus far. 



298 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

PROPHETIC TEACHING CONCERNING CHRIST. 

Moses, Deut. xviii : 15, says : " The Lord thy God 
will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thy 
brethren, like unto me ; unto him ye shall hearken," etc. 
See also Gen. xlix: 10. And it would be very conven- 
ient to note over seventy direct references to the coming 
of Christ, including the time of his coming, his ascen- 
sion, betrayal for thirty pieces of silver, by one of his 
friends, that none of his bones should be broken, his 
burial with the rich, casting lots for his vesture, conver- 
sion of the Gentiles, his crucifixion, death with male- 
factors, while in the prime of life, the convulsions of 
nature, decent into Egypt, desertion by his disciples, his 
divinity and glory, his dominion to be universal and 
everlasting, false accusations, his forerunner, his minis- 
try in Galilee, offer of gall and vinegar; his human 
generation, insult, buffetting, spit upon, scourged, mas- 
sacre of the innocents, his miraculous power, mission, 
being mocked, place of nativity, born of a virgin, pa- 
tience, persecution, being pierced with a spear, prayer 
for his enemies, preaching, purchase of the potter's 
field, purification of temple, rejection by Jews and Gen- 
tiles, resurrection, silence when accused, spiritual graces, 
triumphal entry into Jerusalem, his sufferings for us, 
etc. Every important matter pertaining to his earthly 
life seems to have been fully before the prophets, and 
they all speak as with one voice, though in different 
countries and ages, and without personal conference. 

But not to be tedious on this wonderful prophetic his- 
tory, let us note especially a few points concerning 

THE NEW COVENANT, CHURCH AND KINGDOM. 

As to the understanding of these prophecies, let us 
remember the rule setting forth- the fact that, we consider 



LI VE REL1GI0 US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 299 

their adaptedness, and especially do we rely on their appli- 
cation and appropriation by the apostles. InJer. xxxi : 
31-35, about 884 years after the Sinaitic covenant, and 606 
years before the birth of the Savior, the prophet names 
eight particulars as to the new covenant; and in Heb. 
viii : 8-13, Paul quotes and applies all this to the gospel 
of Christ. Here is a history in detail, as to the facts 
and nature of the church, and an application by the 
apostle that cannot be misunderstood. It was to be a new 
covenant, and unlike the old one in given particulars. 
It is, therefore, not an addition to the old one ; not a 
revamping; not a new patch on the old garment; not 
new wine put into an old bottle, (Matt, ix : 16, 17; 
Mark ii : 22 ; Luke v : 37,) but a new covenant — new wine 
cask, and new wine; new garment, capapic. Hence we 
must look to the new covenant for its laws, ordinances, 
etc., and not at all to the Old Testament, except as these 
are given in the types and prophecies. 

TRIUMPHS AXD DURABILITY OF THIS NEW ORDER. 

Daniel wrote some twenty-six years later than Jere- 
miah. In his explanation of the king's dream, Dan. 
ii : 44, he tells us when this new kingdom should be 
established; that it " shall never be destroyed ;" that it 
"shall break in pieces and consume all other kingdoms, 
and " stand forever." And passing over the other vis- 
ions of Daniel and his explanations, we come to the 
seventh chapter. Here he distinctly notes several items 
concerning this new kingdom : Of the ancient of days, 
verse 14th, he says : " And there was given him domin- 
ion and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations 
and languages should serve him ; his dominion is an 
everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his 
kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." And 
verse 18th, " But the saints of the Most High shall take 



300 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even for- 
ever and ever." Daniel saw, in this inimitable vision, 
verse 22nd: "Until the ancient of days came, and judg- 
ment was given to the saints of the Most High ; and the 
time came, that the saints possessed the kingdom." 
And verse 27th, "And the dominion, and the greatness 
of the kingdom, under the whole heaven, shall be 
given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose 
kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions 
shall serve and obey him." See Dan. ii : 44 ; Luke i : 
33; Johnxii: 34; Rev. xi : 15; Ps. xxxvii : 11; Matt, 
v : 5. " Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the 
earth." See Rev. xxi. The final, complete and most 
glorious triumphs of the gospel are set forth also by 
Isaiah, chapters 54th, 55th, etc. In these testimonies 
(and many others,) we have, in the plainest language : 

1. The establishment of the new kingdom. 

2. Its durability. " It shall stand forever." " It shall 
never be destroyed." Jesus seems to refer to this in 
Matt, xvi : 18. If, therefore, there was a time since its 
establishment, when it did not exist, then all these 
prophetic teachings have failed. But no such time can 
be pointed to. And it is the business of the historian 
to trace this kingdom from tbe apostles to the present 
time. 

R. " Its universality. " All shall serve and obey him." 
His will shall be "done on earth as it is m heaven." 
Matt, vi: 10; Luke xi : 2. "The knowledge of God 
shall cover the earth as the waters the great deep." Isa. 
xi : 9 ; Hab. ii : 14. And to make this more plain, if 
possible, Paul says, (Phil, ii : 9-11,) " Wherefore God also 
hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which 
is above every name ; that at the name of Jesus every 
knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 301 

and things under the earth; {i.e., in, hades;) and that 
everv tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to 
the glory of God the Father." What a triumph! How 
complete ! There will be no disputation then as to con- 
fessing his name, or bowing the knees before him. Oh ! 
how expressive then ! And why not now ? 

4. The inheritance of all things by the saints. See Rom. 
viii : IT. " Heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ." 
James ii : 5 ; Jer. xl : 1 ; Mich, i : 15 ; Rom. iv : 13. 
Adam was rich. He owned this world. But every 
child of God will own this world and the world to come 
also, forever and ever ! ! ! Alas for all earthly pleasures, 
riches and honors ! 

THE APOSTASY OF THE CHURCH. 

As the apostasy of the Jews was prophetically made 
known, and was fully realized ; so the apostasy of the 
church of Christ was made known even by Daniel. See 
Dan. viii : 20-27 ; vii : 12, 24, 25. Amongst protestants 
it is agreed and understood that the Popish party is here 
referred to. The " little horn," etc., must refer to this 
anti-christ power. " He shall wear out the saints of 
the Most High, and think to change times and laws, 
and they shall be given into his hands, until," etc. "He 
shall destroy wonderfully and shall prosper, * * and 
shall destroy the holy people ;" " shall cause craft to 
prosper, and by peace shall destroy many," etc. " But 
he shall be broken without hand." This shadow, 
though distant and comparatively dim, all agree, refers 
to the man of sin of Paul, 2 Thess. 2nd chapter. Here, 
too, fortunately, protestants agree that this same little 
horn, or pope of Rome is referred to. His opposition 
to the will of Christ in the church, changing times -and 
laws, exalting himself, using signs and wonders to de- 
ceive, etc., all point one way : " A repetition of the 



302 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

Sinaitic apostasy, when the people said to Aaron, i up, 
make us gods,' " etc. But being agreed here, and 
awaiting a historic development of the manner and 
agents in this apostasy, in another chapter, let us hasten 
to Rev. 12, 13, 14, 15 and 17th chapters. Protestants 
are not agreed as to the precise meaning of several items 
here, hut all agree that the reference is to the same 
"Little horn" of Daniel, and the man of sin of Paul— 
the Roman hierarchy. Note only a few plain items : 

The dragon is the pagan persecuting power. 

The first beast, which, like the dragon, came up out of 
the sea : (civil powers in commotion,) probably repre- 
sents the pope ; but — 

The second beast certainly does. See the likeness of a 
lamb with two horns, one of which represents the 
mildness of Christ, the other, the fierceness of the roar- 
ing lion ; " speaking great swelling words, having men's 
person in admiration, because of advantage." 

Heaven here means the church, and elsewhere, the 
civil ruling power, where there was "war in heaven, and 
the dragon fought," etc. We know the dragon was never 
in the final, the real heaven. Heaven means a high, ex- 
alted position or place. Hence we read of harps and 
harpers in heaven — not the final heaven, certainly. 

This third beast, with two horns like a lamb, came up 
out of the earth, (verse 11) whence have come all corrup- 
tions in the divine worship. 

This power " deceived them that dwelt on the earth." 
Deception and fraud make up the leading characteristics 
of this anti-christ. 

In the 15th chapter we have the events which, as we 
shall see, transpired about A. D. 350 — the raising of 
Constantine to the throne, the banishment or fleeing of 
the women (the church) into the wilderness, (the valleys 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 303 

of Piedmont, etc., in France) for forty-two month, or 
1,260 years; and, as in the other lessons, the final over- 
throw of the man of sin. Chapter 17th : " These shall 
make war with the lamb, and the lamb shall overcome 
them. Verse 14th. The 18th verse tells plainly who is 
this scarlet woman, "that great city, which reigneth 
over the kings of the earth," the civil, or temporal pow- 
er of the pope. [Those who wonld better understand 
this subject should carefully read the first speech of A. 
Campbell in the Purcell debate, on the proposition : 
" She is the Babylon of John, the man of sin of Paul, 
and the empire of the little horn of Daniel's sea mon- 
ster."] 

OTHER APOSTOLIC TEACHINGS ON THE SUBJECT. 

Paul, 1 Tim. iv : 1-3, gives largely the agents and 
manner, as well as the fact of the apostasy in the 
church. " The spirit speaketh expressly, that, in the 
latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving 
heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, speak- 
ing lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared 
with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding 
to abstain from meats," etc. 

Expressly, i. e., plainly — unlike the equivocal speech of 
false prophets. The latter times may refer to the destruc- 
tion of Jerusalem and the practical end of Judaism; 
but it certainly reaches on to these latter times. Teach- 
ings or mutterings, (doctrines) of demons, just such as the 
peculiar and widely prevailing modern spiritism is claim- 
ing in these " latter times." Conscience seared, represents 
the very worst apostasy. 

2 Tim. iii : 1 : " This know also, that in the last days, 
perilous times shall come." Why? (Verses 3-5) "For 
men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boast- 
ers, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, un- 



304 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

thankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce break- 
ers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those 
that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of 
pleasures more than lovers of God ; having a form of godli- 
ness, but denying the power thereof; from such, turn 
away." Once an able man said to a preacher at the close of 
his discourse : " Well, if you were not inspired to-day, in- 
spiration could not have done better." So here : If this 
picture was not drawn for the present time, there can 
be no use for a " sitting." Lovers of themselves — i. e., 
selfishness. How it abounds all over the land ! Covet- 
ous I No one trait more clearly distinguishes this age. 
Disobedient to parents : Who has not heard old people 
say, Alas ! for the young people. It was not so in our 
youth. More than one strong man has said the precept 
requiring children to obey their parents had been re- 
versed ; and now it read, practically, " Parents obey 
your children." Passing over the others, each of which 
deserves special note, notice — " Lovers of pleasures more 
than lovers of God." California is the place to see this. 
Preachers and people must take vacations, and seek 
"good times" all the year round; often with more zeal 
than they seek for souls. And — " Having a form of godli- 
ness — not the power." Forms and ceremonies — and these 
devised by men, very formally observed, make up the 
religion of the popular masses ! Are not the last days 
near ? Or have the signs failed ? 

2 Peter ii . 1-3 : " But there were false prophets also 
among the people, even as there shall be false teachers 
among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, 
even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring 
upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall 
follow their pernicious ways ; by reason of whom the 
way of truths hall be evil spoken of. And through cov- 



LI VE RELIGIO US ISS CES OF THE DA Y. 305 

etousness shall they, with feigned words, make merchan- 
dise of yon." 

This is a wonderful lesson for us ; and we should ob- 
serve, especially : " There shall be false teachers" etc. 
This was certain. How precisely, and how early and 
constantly has this been fulfilled ! It does not point to 
any particular period ; and it has appeared in all the 
ages of the church. Privately, or secretly, i. e., by craft 
and fraud, by plotting and scheming, they will bring in 
these. This was and is religious conspiracy against the 
union, peace and purity of the church. "Damnable 
heresies," or sects, denominations ; just such as prevail 
to-day, by the secret and selfish scheming of the leaders. 
"Many shall follow their pernicious ways." They strike 
the popular chord, and ride on the popular wave, and 
persuade themselves and their followers that they are 
right because they are many — the majority ; though it 
is not so large as in the days of Noah, Elisha, Micaiah, 
etc. And have not "the many" followed them? 
" The way of truth evil spoken of." Has it not been, and 
is it not, to-day, ridiculed, and spoken of reproachfully 
by these false teachers, sect makers? " Through covetous- 
ness — make merchandise of you" Here we have the se- 
cret out. The church should have learned this lesson — 
should learn it now. Covetousness, on the part of the 
leaders, makes merchandise of the people. See the 
high salaries of preachers, and the base means resorted 
to, to raise them, all under the clause, "they that preach 
the gospel should live of the gospel." They assume that 
they are doing what Paul means by " preach the gospel," 
when, in fact, they are teaching sect-ism, mostly, and 
getting power and place and money for themselves. 
Under "live of the gospel," they manage, by various 
and unscriptural means, to get the largest salaries possi- 
20 



306 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

ble, whereas only a living is awarded them by the pass- 
age. Covetous preachers, and making merchandise of 
the people, the denominationalism and worldliness now 
prevailing could not he more definitely described. See 
also 1 John ii: 18; iv: 1-3; 2 Peter iii: 3, 4; and Jude 
18. Here we have the "last days" again. But 
enough is given to show the prophetic teaching as to the 
falling away, or apostasy in the church, in vast numbers, 
in our day, by the agency of the teachers and leaders. 
We see, also, that all these are to fail, and the gospel is 
certainly to triumph to the ends of the earth ; and Jesus, 
the despised and mocked, is to rule heaven, earth and 
hades, as certainly as these prophetic teachings are true. 



CHAPTER XX. 

An Outline Post-Apostolic History of the Church. — Early tri- 
umphs of the gospel — preached to every creature in thirty years, 
and how ; how Christianity was corrupted; quotations from lead- 
ing Church history, showing the independence of the congrega- 
tions, election of their officers, their choosing Paul a helper; 
overthrow of church independence by the bishops, or clergy, and 
substitution of preacher-rule — diocesan, metropolitan, hierarchi- 
cal ; union of Church and state ; withdrawing of the faithful from 
the corrupted worship; who are these lordly clergymen? They 
are the same to-day — the kingdom of the clergy ; the social wor- 
ship of the early Christians and clergy rule; changes item by 
item — praying, singing, etc., in organization and government 
— retrograde steps, quoted from the best authors ; further seced- 
ings from these corruptions ; sum of testimony to 606. 

Here a volume is needed, where only a few chapters 
can be given. Note — 

That in the days of the apostles all Christians were 
one, as the Father and Son are one — of one heart and 
soul. Taking the apostolic teaching only, there were 
no sects, denominations or parties ; no party names or 
human creeds or schemes for church work. Peace and 
good will gloriously prevailed, and the gospel triumphed 
over the world, the flesh and the devil. But, as we have 
seen, even in their days, "the n^stery of iniquity" was 
at work,* " already," by many anti-christs, such as are 
described in prophetic teaching. But the churches 
maintained their scriptural organization, order of wor- 
ship and manner of work for years, and yielded when 
they need not. They had only bishops and deacons as 
church officers, and sent out their preachers as mission- 
aries. They had no societies of any kind but the 

(307) 



308 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

church. Each church was, as to its organization, disci- 
pline and worship, entirely independent. There was no 
confederation of churches for any purpose, no hired 
pastor, no boards of any sort, hut the officers of indi- 
vidual congregations. They had no financial scheme 
or plan, as a rule, except the weekly contributions into 
the church treasury, as God prospered each one. And 
they loved as brethren. They were of one heart and 
one soul, bearing one another's burdens; having the 
same care one for another, so that if one sorrowed, all 
sorrowed; if one was honored, all rejoiced. The little 
finger could not be pierced without the whole body's 
sympathizing with it. This was Christianity in its sim- 
plicity, and in its purity and glory. Then it triumphed. 
It ran a good race, because unencumbered with human 
schemes, and plans, and weights. It put oif all these, 
disencumbering itself that it might be able to " run the 
race set before it." But alas ! this state of purity did 
not continue permanently. It was of heaven ; and the 
earth fought it — corrupted it; smirched it; and encum- 
bered it with humanisms. 

In less than thirty years from the giving of the great 
commission, the gospel, in its purity, simplicity and pow- 
er, was "preached to every creature under heaven." 
" Their sound went into all the earth, and their words 
to the ends of the earth." See Rom. x: 18; Col. i: 6, 
23 ; Mark xvi : 15, 16 In less than two hundred years 
the sacrifices for the idol temples failed to find purchas- 
ers, the idols being forsaken. Then the emperor became 
a zealous, if not a consistent Christian, and the religion 
of the once despised Nazarene was the national religion, 
so far as the rulers could make it so by their commen- 
dations and liberality. And all without any society but 
the church, and without any organization but bishops 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 309 

and deacons in each congregation. Whatever may be 
the opinions of historians and commentators, there is 
no more evidence in the earliest history outside of the 
!New Testament than there is in that sacred record, that 
the churches had hired pastors or others to* preach to 
them every Lord's day, or anything like modern mis- 
sionary societies, etc. They met to worship, and the 
meetings were presided over by the bishops, and were 
social — not clerical. All took part, as time and circum- 
stances permitted. 

What a change! jSTow almost everything must be 
done by societies which neither the sacred record nor any 
early history would ever cause one so much as to think 
of! A church is not now regarded as in working order 
without half dozen or so of these societies, these human 
"devices," these modern innovations and improvements 
on the divine system ! these additions to the word of 
God! And we are gravely told that the progression 
of the age and the change of circumstances require 
this change of procedure, and all these additions! As 
well might we be told that we need " another gospel ! " 
and another Savior ! If to popularize the gospel of Christ 
with an ungodly world, to tickle their ears and please 
their fancy be the objects, we do need many changes 
and additions ; but if to please God and save souls be 
the objects, then we want the ancient gospel, and the 
ancient order all around; not less or more. What a 
wonderful change this will involve. Still, we purpose 
going to Jerusalem, and doing, so far as Ave can, just 
what the first Christians did, and doing these things 
just as they did them : that is, to walk in their foot- 
steps as precisely as we can. When we do not see their 
foot prints we will be governed by the general princi- 
ples and the divine spirit of the gospel. Then — only 



310 LIVE RELIG10 US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 

then may we hope for apostolic success, if we do have to 
encounter apostolic difficulties, have " no certain dwell- 
ing place," and though as Paul was, " we are counted 
the offscourings of all things," " despised and cast down, 
yet not destroyed." Nor will we counfound apostolic 
success with modern success. We will do what they 
did, as they did, suffer as they did, if need be, and wait 
for our rest and reward. Can anything else be called 
true Christianity ? But let us see, as a warning for us, 
and for all concerned, 

HOW PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANITY WAS CORRUPTED. 

If a display of resources were the object, it would be 
convenient here to name the apostolic fathers, the 
ancient fathers, the apostolical canons, the twenty-five 
books of the Apocryphal New Testament, the old and 
new church histories, etc. It would occupy too much 
space even to name them formally. Quotations, when 
not otherwise credited, will be in the usual quotation 
marks. 

The " author of the Council of Nice," says of the 
second and third centuries : 

" Every one who is acquainted with the uninspired productions of 
even the early Christian writers, is compelled to admit the marked 
difference between them and the books of the New Testament ; a 
difference, not merely arising from the fact that inspiration had 
ceased, and with it the divine style peculiar to those holy men of 
God; but indicating the adoption of sentiments and practices for 
which no authority is found in the word of the Lord. * * * The 
state of religion during the second and third centuries, exhibits mel- 
ancholy proof of a gradual departure from the simplicity of the gos- 
pel. * * * But at an early day a very considerable departure from 
apostolic purity was discernable. Instead of regarding the inspired 
word as the sole depository of truth, professing Christians acted as 
though the Bible were only one of the sources of religious knowledge. 
The opinions held by pagan philosophers were in many respects ut- 
terly incompatible with the New Testament, and could not be held 
by believers in Christ, without surrendering important Christian 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 311 

principles. It cannot be too deeply deplored that Christianity was 
modified and mingled with philosophy, and that the simple worship 
celebrated by the first Christians was quickly corrupted by the intro- 
duction of rites and forms borrowed from Jewish or heathen observ- 
ances. The consequences were fatally injurious. It was a dark day 
for the church. * * * The Lord's supper began to be called a 
sacrifice, the table was termed an altar, and the minister a priest who 
offered on it. This led to another innovation. Christian ministers 
were looked upon as substitutes for the priests of the law, or of Pa- 
ganism ; and, therefore, the name as well as the office was appropriated 
to them. * * * To these notices may be added the extravagant 
honors paid the martyrs, the anniversaries of whose deaths were 
celebrated by religious services ; the observance of numerous feasts 
and festivals ; the invention of new officers and degrees in the min- 
istry," etc. 

Referring to the days of Constantine, three hundred 
years after the resurrection, Milner says : 

" If we look at the external appearance of Christianity, nothing can 
be more splendid. An emperor, full of zeal for the propagation of 
the only divine religion, by edicts restores to the church every thing 
of which it had been deprived ; indemnifies those who had suffered ; 
honors the pastors exceedingly; recommends to governors and prov- 
inces to promote the gospel. * * * He erects churches exceeding- 
ly sumptuous and ornamental. * * * His mother, Helena, fills the 
whole Roman world with her munificent acts in support of religion." 
"Constantine orders the observation of the festivals of martyrs; has 
prayers and reading of the Scriptures at his court; dedicates churches 
with great solemnity; directs the sacred observance of the Lord's 
day, to which he adds that of Friday also, the day of Christ's cruci- 
fixion. * * * The great defectiveness of doctrine failed not to 
influence practice as usual. External piety flourished; monastic 
societies, in particular places, were also growing ; but faith, love and 
heavenly mindedness appear very rare. * * * There was much 
outward religion, but this could not make men saints in heart and life. 
The facts to be displayed will show how little true humility 
and charity were now known in the Christian world; while super- 
stition and self-righteousness were making vigorous shoots, and the 
real gospel of Christ was hidden from men who professed it." — Mil- 
ner's Hist, of the ch., cent. 4. chap. 2. 

All church historians note distinctly, and most of 
them at great length, "both the omissions of the divine 



312 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

ordinances, and the additions of human ordinance, in 

the worship, which additions they called innovations. 

Concerning these, Meander, the most learned historian, 

and generally regarded as the most reliable, says : 

" We must perceive in these assumptions, a strong corruption of 
the purity of the Christian system. It is a carnal perversion of the 
true idea of the Christian church. * * * This entire perversion 
of the original view of the Christian church was itself the origin of 
the whole system of the Roman Catholic religion." 

Coleman says : 

" It is known to every one at all acquainted with the early history 
of the church, that from the second century, down to the final tri- 
umph of the papacy, there was a strong and increasing tendency to 
exalt and extend the authority of the clergy, and to curtail and de- 
press that of the people. The fact is undeniable." 

Some points are here clearly made out and establish- 
ed, though additional evidence may be added, viz : 

1. The entire independence of each congregation, so 
far as Christians can be independent. 

"The churches which were established by the apostles and their 
disciples exhibit a remarkable example of unanimity. One in faith 
and the fellowship of love, they were united in spirit as different 
members of one body, or as brethren of the same family. This union 
and fellowship of spirit the apostles carefully promoted among all 
the churches. But they instituted no external form of union or con- 
federation between those of different towns or provinces ; nor, with- 
in the first century of the Christian era can any trace of such a con- 
federacy, whether diocesan or conventional, be detected on the page 
of history. The diocesan, metropolitan and patriarchal forms of or- 
ganization belong to a later age." — Coleman. 

Mosheim says : 

"Although the churches were, in this first stage of Christianity, 
united together in one common band of faith and love, and were in 
every respect, ready to promote the interests and welfare of each 
other by a reciprocal interchange of good offices, yet, with regard to 
government and internal economy, every individual church consider- 
ed itself as an independent community, none of them ever looking 
beyond the circle of its own members for assistance, or recognizing 
any sort of external influence or authority. Neither in the New Tes- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 313 

tainent, nor in any ancient document whatever, do we find anything 
recorded, from which it might be inferred that any of the minor 
churches were at all dependent on, or looked up for direction to, 
those of greater magnitude or consequence. On the contrary, several 
things occur therein which put it out of all doubt, that every one of 
them enjoyed the same rights, and was considered as being on a foot- 
ing of the most perfect equality with the rest. * * * I allude to 
their assembling by their bishops, at stated periods, for the purpose 
of enacting general laws, and determining any questions or contro- 
versies that might arise respecting divine matters. It is not until the 
second century, that any traces of that sort of associations from which coun- 
cils took their origin are to be perceived ; then we find them occurring 
here and there, some of them tolerably clear and distinct, others 
again but slight and faint." " But we need not enlarge. Nothing in 
the history of the primitive churches is more incontrovertible, than 
the fact of their absolute independence one of another. It is attested 
by the highest historical authorities, and appears to be generally con- 
ceded by Episcopal authors themselves." [So declare Drs. Barrow, 
Burton, Riddle, Archbishop Whately, etc.] " Several of the ancient 
churches firmly asserted and manitained their original religious lib- 
erty, by refusing to acknowledge the authority of the ancient coun- 
cils, for a long time after the greater part of the churches had sub- 
jected themselves to the authority of these confederacies," etc. 

2. Each church elected its own officers, servants and 
messengers, received and expelled members by the pop- 
ular sutirage of all the members. 

Of the New Testament. In Acts i: 23, we have the 
choosing of an apostle, to fill the vacancy of Judas, by 
the assembly — not by the apostles. Mosheim says that 
the phrase, " edookan kleerous autois " expresses the cast- 
ing of a popular vote by the Christians. To express the 
casting of lots, he says the verb should have been 
e baton, as in Matthew xxvii : 35 ; Luke xxiii : 34 ; John 
xix: 24; Mark xv : 24, etc. He says, also, that, "what 
the evangelist meant to say was this : ' And those who 
were present, gave their vote,' instead of " cast lots.' " 

In choosing the seven deacons or servants of tables, 
Acts vi : 3-6, we read distinctly that the whole multi- 



314 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

tucle chose them. And concerning this Prof. J. W. 
McGarvey says : 

"No ingenuity of argument can evade the conclusion that this 
gives the authority of apostolic precedent for the popular election of 
officers of the church." 

Dr. Owens says : 

" It is impossible that there should be a more evident convincing 
instance and example of the choice of ecclesiastical officers by the 
multitude or fraternity of the church than is given us here." 

The choosing of Paul's helper, 2 Cor. viii : 19, was by 
the votes of the churches ; for this is the meaning of 
" C heirotoneetheis hupo toon ekkleesioon" Hence the learned 
Neander says : 

" In as much as the apostles submitted the appointment of the dea- 
cons to the vote of the church, and that of the delegates who should 
accompany them in the name of the churches, we may infer that a 
similar course was pursued also in the appointment of other officers 
of the church." 

As to the ordaining of elders by Paul and Barnabas, 
Acts xiv : 23, Coleman says : 

''The question here turns wholly upon the interpretation of the 
term, Cheirotonesantes, when they had ordained, or, as in the margin, when 
with lifting up of hands they had chosen them." " This is the appropriate 
meaning of the term cJieirotonein, which is here used. It means to 
stretch out the hand, to hold up the hand, as in voting ; hence, to give 
one's vote by holding up the hand, to choose, to elect. In this sense 
it is abundantly used in the classic Greek. * * * So it is rendered 
by Robinson, who, in the passage before us, translates it, to choose by 
vote, to appoint. Suidas also renders it by, having chosen. Such is the 
concurring authority of lexicographers." 

This rendering is sustained by the common use of 
the term by the early Christian writers. See Ignatius 
to the Church at Philadelphia, and to the church at 
Smyrna. So the council at Neocsesarea, and the coun- 
cil at Antioch. Also the Greek version of the Codex 
Ecclesiae Africans in the heading of the nineteenth 
canon. These examples refer plainly to choosing, elect- 
ing, or selecting persons ; not to commissioning them, or 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 315 

what we usually call ordination. This seems to have 
been the established usage of the churches; and Cole- 
man says : 

" Xo other mode of appointment to any office in the church had, 
in any instance, been adopted so far as we are informed." 

Tyndal's translation of Acts xiv : 23, is : 
" And when they had ordained them seniors by eleccion, in every 

congregacion, after they had preyde and fasted, they commended 

them to God on whom they beleved." 

The testimony of the fathers is to the same effect. 
See Tertullian, Origin, Cyprian, etc. Mosheim says : 

" This power of appointing their elders continued to be exercised 
by the members of the church at large as long as primitive manners 
were retained entire ; and those who ruled over the churches did not 
conceive themselves at liberty to introduce any deviation from the 
apostolic model." 

3. Overthrow of church independence, the right of 
suffrage, and the rule of the clergy. 

After noting the encroachments of the clergy on con- 
gregational independence, " the apostolical and primi- 
tive church," says: 

" The sovereign rights of the people, and their free, elective franchise 
began, at an early period, to be invaded. The final result of these 
changes was a total disfranchisement of the laity, and the substitu- 
tion of an ecclesiastical despotism, in the place of the elective govern- 
ment of the primitive church. Of these changes one of the most ef- 
fective was the attempt, by means of correspondence and ecclesiastical 
synods, to consolidate the churches into one church universal, to 
impose upon them a uniform code of laws, and establish an ecclesiastical 
polity administered by the clergy. The idea of a holy Catholic church, 
and of an ecclesiastical hierarchy for 'the government of the same, 
was wholly a conception of the priesthood. [That is, the preachers 
or clergy ; for the preachers assumed the place and rights of Jewish 
and heathen priests as we have already seen.] Whatever may have 
been the motives with which the doctrine of the unity of the church 
was promulgated, it prepared the way for the overthrow of the popu- 
lar government of the church. 

"Above all, the doctrine of the divine right of the priesthood, [or 
preachers] aimed a fatal blow at the liberties of the people. The 



316 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

clergy were no longer the servants of the people, chosen by them to 
the work of the ministry, but a privileged order, like the Levitical 
priesthood; and, like them by divine right invested with peculiar 
prerogatives. Elated with the pride of their divine commission, a 
degenerate and aspiring priesthood sought, by every means, to make 
themselves independent of the suffrage of the people. This inde- 
pendence they began by degrees to assert and to exercise. The 
bishop, [or preacher in charge — the pastor as we call him now,] 
began, in the third century, to appoint, at pleasure, his own deacons 
and other inferior orders of the clergy. * * * And yet Cyprian, 
even in the middle of that century, apologized to the laity and clergy 
of his diocese for appointing one Aurelius. * * * Such, however, 
was the progress of episcopal usurpation, that by the middle of the 
fourth century, elections by the people were nearly lost; and from 
the beginning of the fifth century, the bishop proceeded to claim the 
appointment even of the presbyters, together with the absolute con- 
trol of all ecclesiastical offices subordinate to his own episcopate. 
* «- * Against these encroachments of ecclesiastical ambition and 
power the people continued to oppose a firm but ineffectual re- 
sistance." 

How difficult to resist aspiring clergymen ! 
"During this century, [the fourth,] 1. The emperors convened 
and presided in general councils. 2. Confirmed their decrees. 3. 
Enacted laws relative to ecclesiastical matters by their own authority. 
4. Pronounced decisions concerning heresies and controversies. 5. 
Appointed bishops. 6. Inflicted punishment on ecclesiastical per- 
sons. Hence arose the complaints, that the bishops had conceded 
too much to the emperors, while, on the other hand, some persons 
maintained that the emperors had left too much on the hands of the 
bishops. The bishops certainly did possess too much power and in- 
fluence, to the prejudice of the other clergy, and especially to the dis- 
advantage of Christians at large. Thus the emperor and the bishops 
share the chief government of the church between them. But the 
limits of their authority were not well defined. A great part of the 
power formerly possessed by the general body of Christians, the laity, 
had passed into the hands of the civil government."— Riddle's Chron. 

pp. 70, 71. 

" Thus everything was changed in the church. At the beginning 
it was a society of brethren; and now an absolute monarchy is 
reared in the midst of them. All Christians were priests of the living 
God, 1 Peter ii: 9, with humble pastors for their guidance," [a plu- 
rality of bishops in each church.] " But a lofty head is uplifted from 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 317 

the midst of these pastors. A mysterious voice utters words of pride ; 
an iron hand compels all men, great and small, rich and poor, free- 
men and slaves, to take the mark of its power. The holy and primi- 
tive equality of saints is lost sight of. Christians are divided into two 
strangely unequal classes. On the one side, a desperate class of 
priests, daring to usurp the name of the church, and claiming to be 
possessed of peculiar privileges in the sight of the Lord. On the 
other, a timid flock, reduced to a blind passive submission ; a people 
gagged and silenced, and delivered over to a proud caste. "-D'Aubigne's 
Hist. Ref. 1, pp. 31. 

How are the mighty fallen! And what is lost? 1. 
The right of suffrage, the first element in any govern- 
ment by the people, without which we are ruled by 
earthly aristocrats. 2. The right to elect their own 
bishops and deacons, and manage their own congrega- 
tional affairs. 3. They are little more than serfs 
dominated by the clergy, who ruled them with a rod of 
iron, and taxed them to poverty to enrich the clergy. 4. 
Everything worth calling religious liberty. 5. Chris- 
tian liberty. Hence, submission to an unscriptural and 
oppressive power, exercised for self-aggrandizement, by 
wicked men. 6. Hence, subjection not only to the rule 
of bad men, but also to all kinds of erroneous teachings 
and perversions of the holy Scriptures ! 7. Liable con- 
stantly for slight offenses, and often for no offense 
against God or any good man, to be excluded and 
anathematized, without redress ! And — 

"To the Jews under the old dispensation, and to the primitive 
Christians under the new, the sentence of ex-communication was no 
light matter. It was a withering curse. It was a civil death. It in- 
volved a total exclusion from kindred, from society, from all those 
charities of life, which Christians were wont to reciprocate even with 
heathens." 

Josephus says that : 

"Those who were ex-communicated from the Essenes often died 
after a miserable manner, and were, therefore, from motives of char- 
ity, received again when at the point of death. In this instance, the 
oath of the Essenes obliged them to refuse such food as the ex-com- 



318 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

municated person might find; but was not the case equally bad, when 
all were bound, not only to refuse him subsistence, but every expres- 
sion of kindness and charity?" See John's Ark. pp. 528; Home's 
introduction, B. 2, ch. 3, 4; Neander, Allgem. etc. 

WHO ARE THESE LORDLY CLERGYMEN ? 

Let us spend a moment to understand them better ; 
for we have much the same clergy all around us now. 
Webster says of clergy : " L. clerus, clericus, which would 
seem to be from the Greek kleros, lot or portion, inherit- 
ance, estate, and the body of those who perform sacred 
duties ; whence kleroo, to choose by lot, to make a clerk ; 
clericum facere. In 1 Peter v : 3, the word in the plural 
seems to signify the church or body of believers ; it is 
rendered " God's heritage." To the elders, Peter says : 
"Neither as being lord's over God's heritage," i. e., the 
saints, God's kleros or clergy. " Heritage " is used eight 
times in the Old Testament, to mean God's people — 
God's possession, as in 1 Peter v : 3. Possession is its 
ordinary meaning, whether by inheritance or otherwise. 
Kleros, in the New Testament is twice rendered inherit- 
ance; once, heritage; eight times lot, and twice part, 
in the sense of lot. When it is rendered lot, it has in it 
always the idea of possession, as when they " cast lots 
for the Savior's vesture," i. e., to determine who should 
possess it. When it means clerk it has the idea of pos- 
sessing the place or office of a clerk. Clergy has always 
the idea of possession ; not especially of work, or worth, 
or service, but possession. And the clergy, both ancient 
and modern, possess power and authority, riches and 
honors, caste and ecclesiastical dominion, as we have 
seen. None of the ancient preachers possessed these, 
and not one of them, was a clergyman in the etymolog- 
ical, the anciently appropriated, or the modern sense. 
The elders or bishops of the congregations possessed ruling 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 319 

power. No other class of people had, or can have this 
scripturally. The evangelists or preachers never had 
this power. And, as a class, they have never proved 
themselves especially capable of ruling, even in their 
families. Yet they have and do assume, and desire to 
assume and exercise all ruling authority in the churches! 
The pope himself never put forth a more absurd or un- 
scriptural claim — not even when he claimed infallibility ! 

The Schaft-Herzog encyclopedia says : 

" It may be considered settled, that there is no order of clergy, in 
the modern sense of the term, in the New Testament; i. e.. there is 
no class of men mentioned to whom spiritual functions exclusively 
belonged. Every believer is a priest unto God. Every believer has 
as much right as any body else to pray, to preach, to baptize, to ad- 
minister communion." — Vol. 1, pp. 498. 

Now, let us learn this lesson. There cannot be a bet- 
ter place for it. It is of the utmost importance. These 
clergymen, ancient and modern, are utterly unknown 
in the New* Testament, and in the first and best period 
of the church since the apostles. Since the days of 
miracles, the New Testament knows only a plurality of 
bishops and deacons in each congregation, as officers, 
and evangelists as servants, like the deacons, only for 
a different work. These clergymen are, therefore, as- 
sumers and pretenders only, as destitute of scriptural 
authority as the pope himself, and should, like Judas, be 
speedily relegated to their own place. Their whole his- 
tory shows selfish intrigue, "for filthy lucre's sake." 
Place and power have been their guiding stars. They 
have, from their inception, been barnacles on the old 
ship of Zion. Their labors and history, here briefly 
sketched, certainly prove this; and their present labor 
is to make more history of the same kind. They tell 
us now, with astonishing self-importance, (not to say 
impudence,) that the churches never did, and never can 



320 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

prosper with the only New Testament officers ! They 
cannot deny that the bishops are the only New Testa- 
ment pastors, and hundreds of our best congregations 
have not, and never had any others, and still have far 
more scriptural prosperity than any church depending 
on a hired, clerical pastor. The issue is fairly made. 
They assume and claim that the churches are depend- 
ent on them, and cannot live without them. Yet they 
will not pretend that the Scriptures authorize their pas- 
torates and rule. They are, therefore, confessedly un- 
scriptural, and wrong as certainly as the Scriptures are 
true and right. And their assumptions and assertions 
that the churches cannot prosper without them is equal- 
ly absurd ; for they are prospering all over the land, and 
have been for ages, with no such clergymen's labors; 
with only their home officers and the occasional assist- 
ance of scriptural evangelists. We cannot be too posi- 
tive here. 

These ancient and modern clergymen, unwilling to 
go out, " do the work of evangelists, make full proof of 
their ministry," and " endure hardness as good soldiers 
of Jesus Christ," as Paul taught Timothy to do, seek a 
warm nest, well feathered ; a green pasture to feed on — 
one provided "by other men's labors;" which was not 
Paul's idea at all. And woe betide the man who dares 
to warn the churches against them ! Yet, alas ! for the 
man who understands their history and their work, and 
has not enough manhood and God-hood to do it at any 
peril ! We need several Lathers just here. The present 
writer ought to understand these hireling clergy pastors. 
He has felt their poisoned darts, and has suffered from 
them more than from every other source. But he will 
now certainly soon be beyond their reach, and can well 
afford this warning without claiming any credit for it. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 321 

Preachers are, perhaps, the greatest power in the land; 
and when this power is used to subvert the divine gov- 
ernment of the church, as it surely has been, and is 
now, it is time to " cry aloud and spare not," " whether 
they hear or whether they forbear." The present pop- 
ular one man pastor hired from abroad " to preach to 
the church," is an addition to that organization of the 
church provided by Jesus Christ ; and those who make 
and those who tolerate, aid and abet this addition, must 
share in the plagues denounced against those who add 
to the word of God. To add an officer to those scriptur- 
ally authorized for the teaching, shepherding and gov- 
erning of the church, is as impious as to take away 
the officers scripturally appointed for these ends! And 
these clergy pastors practically do both. They are the 
heads of the churches they pasture on, as certainly as the 
pope is the head of his church. If they have nominal 
elders and deacons, they are generally misnomers. " The 
pastor" is "the man." And there is one very effectual 
and sure way to get rid of him. It is short and certain 
in its effects, viz : Cut off his rations ! Try it, and see if 
he does not leave. This would also determine whether 
or not he is a hireling. The man who does not preach 
for money will preach on as he can, make tents, and not 
denounce the churches or forsake his calling. 
21 



CHAPTER XXL 

Outline History of the Church Continued to A. D.606. — The social 
worship of the early Christians, and the worship under clergy- 
rule; teaching of the early Fathers as to these matters; their 
singing, and the theatrical music of the corrupters — profane and 
secular music — many authors quoted — how we should sing ; 
social manner of their Lord's day worship ; of their names and 
manner of speech, Bible names for Bible things; how errors and 
corruptions crept in, preachers leading the way ; the establish- 
ment of the one man pastor or bishop ; the diocesan, Metropol- 
itan, patriarchal and papal powers ; union of Church and State 
under Constantine — various authors quoted ; of withdrawing from 
corruptions and corrupters ; the clergy further promoted and cor- 
rupted by the Emperor, etc.; vast numbers of seceders or puri- 
tans in all parts of the Empire ; sum of the points set forth ; in 
tracing the true church we go not to Eome or Constantinople, and 
look not for organization or perfection. 

THE SOCIAL WORSHIP OF THE EARLY CHRISTIANS AND THE 
WORSHIP UNDER CLERICAL RULE. 

Let us go back once more to the first Christians, and 
have well in mind the social nature of their worship. 
" All ye are brethren." There were no kings or 
priests, except as all were kings and priests. They 
" exhorted one another ;" bore "one another's burdens," 
" the strong bearing the infirmities of the weak." They 
had "the same care one for another." If one was 
"honored, all rejoiced; if one was afflicted, all sor- 
rowed." " You may all speak, one by one." " By love 
serve one another." " Confess your faults " — not to a 
lordly and special priest, but " one to another, and pray 
one for another." "With no society but the church, and 
with no caste in it ; with no organization, except the bish- 
ops and deacons in each congregation, and evangelists as 
(322) 






LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 323 

missionaries — with no confederation of churches, courts 
of appeal, or law making assemblies to " devise ways 
and means," — their entire worship well became what 
Paul calls "the simplicity of the gospel of Christ." 
They met for worship every Lord's day, and conducted 
their worship according to the ideas expressed in these 
quotations. There is no evidence that they ever met 
for, or ever had, in their weekly worship, what we call 
preaching. Not one of their officers was necessarially a 
preacher, though their bishops were teachers, and able 
to " stop the mouths of gainsayers with sound words." 

TEACHING OF THE EARLY FATHERS AS TO THESE MATTERS : 

Coming one step this side of the apostolic age, we 
read : 

"The prayers of the church were offered in language the most art- 
less and natural. Even the most learned of the fathers, who were no 
strangers to the graces of diction, refused all ornamental embellish- 
ments in their address to the throne of grace, alleging that the king- 
dom of heaven consisted not in word, but in power. * * * Their 
prayers were accordingly offered in the greatest simplicity, and as far 
as possible in the exact phraseology of the scripture. This artlessness 
and elegant simplicity appears in striking contrast with the ostenta- 
tion and bombast of a later date." — Ch. Antiq. p. 210. 

" In the ancient service of the church, it was the duty of the dea- 
cons to summon each class of worshipers separately to engage in 
prayer by saying, ' Let us pray.' Whether they were to pray silently 
or audibly, they received a similar intimation from the deacon. This 
was followed by another injunction to kneel; and at the conclusion, 
he also directed them to arise."— Ch. Antiq. p. 220. 

But this, the writer tells us, was in the very earliest 
days of the church. The same writer tells us (pp. 222, 
223) that in the days of Basil, Chrysostom and the apos- 
tolical constitutions (perhaps about the close of the 
third, or first of the fourth century). " It would seem 
that the usual attitude was standing." Origen and all 
agree, however, not only that kneeling or bowing down 
is more humble but that " it was necessary for one to 



324 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

kneel when lie prays for the forgiveness of his sins." 
" The act of kneeling was thought peculiarly to indi- 
cate humility before God ; to exhibit a sinner who had 
fallen away from him, and in need of divine grace and 
mercy. Accordingly it was uniformly required of all 
who had fallen under the censure of the church for 
their offenses, as an indispensable condition of their res- 
toration to their former covenant relations." They also 
bowed their heads, and their bodies, and sometimes fell 
prostrate on the earth, but they never sat in prayer. 
There is no evidence that in the days of the apostles 
any one ever stood up to pray. And the apostolic habit 
of kneeling was kept up in the second century. But in 
the third century, in company with many other depart- 
ures from apostolic simplicity, they stood to pray — ex- 
cept when they needed forgiveness of sins. And this 
should have brought them to their knees every time it 
was reasonably practicable. 

Note : — Some writers, on the authority of Origen and 
the apostolical constitutions, claim that standing was 
the custom immediately after the apostles. The testi- 
mony is one to two hundred years later, when infant 
church membership, affusion for baptism, and very 
many other errors had crept into the church. All these 
are as well proven by the fathers as is standing to pray. 
The ancient fathers, and the apostolical fathers are not 
always precisely the same — sometimes by three hundred 
years. 

Their singing, according to all the fathers, was decid- 
edly congregational. They had few and simple hymns 
and tunes, and all the people sang. Coleman says, pp. 
376, 377 : 

"The appointment of singers as a distinct class of officers in the 
church for this part of religious worship, marks another alteration 



LIVE RELIGIONS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 325 

in the psalmody of the church. These were first appointed in the 
fourth century. But the people continued for a century or more, to 
enjoy their ancient privilege of all singing together." 

" The introduction of instrumental music. The tendency of this was 
to secularize the music of the church, and to encourage singing by a 
choir. Such musical instruments were gradually introduced; but 
they can hardly be assigned to a period earlier than the fifth and sixth 
centuries. Organs were unknown in the church until the eighth or 
ninth century. Previous to this they had their place in the theatre, 
lather than in the church. They were never regarded with favor in 
the Eastern church, and were vehemently opposed in many places in 
the West. In Scotland no organ is allowed to this day, except in a 
few Episcopal churches." 

In England, in 1562, it was carried " only by a casting 
vote." 

" The introduction of profane, secular music into the church, was one 
of the principal means of corrupting the psalmody of the church. 
An artificial, theatrical style of music, having no affinity to the wor- 
ship of God, began to take the place of those solemn airs which be- 
fore had inspired the devotions of his people. The music of the 
theatre was transferred to the church; which, accordingly became the 
scene of theatrical pomp and display, rather than the house of prayer 
and of praise, to inspire, by its appropiate rites, the spiritual worship 
of (rod." 

Neander says : 

" We have to regret that both in the Eastern and Western church, 
their sacred music had already assumed an artificial and theatrical char- 
acter, and was so far removed from its original simplicity, that even 
in the fourth century, the abbot Pambo of Egypt complained that 
heathen melodies, [accompanied as it seems with the action of the 
hands and the feet,] had been introduced into their church psalmody. 
Isidorus of Palusium, also complains of the artistical singing, 
especially of the women." 

Jerome, also, in remarking on Eph. v: 19, urges the 
same complaint, and adds: 

" But instead of this, that same [evil] spirit is invited rather to the 
possession of those who have converted the house of God into a pagan 
theatre." 

Then it is added : 

''The clergy eventually claimed the right of performing the sacred 
music as a privilege especially their own. This expedient shut out the 



326 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

people from any participation in this delightful part of public wor- 
ship. Finally, the more effectually, to exclude the people, the sing- 
ing was in Latin." — Coleman, Psalmody of primitive church, p. 375. 

In the following pages lie says : 

"This denying the congregation the right to sing was, 'The most 
effectual measure to destroy the devotional influence of sacred music." 

And of the first churches he says : 

"Their sacred songs became the ballads of the people, sung at all 
times and upon every occasion. Religious truths became inwrought 
into the very soul of these Christians by their sacred songs. It en- 
tered, not only into their public devotions, but into their family wor- 
ship, their domestic pleasures, and their social entertainments. Thus, 
religious truth addressed itself to the hearts of the people in a man- 
ner the most persuasive possible." 

This was obeying the command of Paul to " teach and 
admonish one another in psalms, and hymns, and spirit- 
ual songs." Col. iii : 16. All the criticisms upon this 
passage only serve to make the correctness of this 
rendering more apparent. Singing, as Drs. Barnes, 
Clark, Doddridge and others tell us, was a teaching ordi- 
nance, as certainly as reading was. But how can teach- 
ing be done when there is an abounding noise by musical 
instruments, or by crying babies, barking dogs, etc. ? 
How can it be done when their is not harmony, and dis- 
tinct expression of the words sung? Singing is not only 
a teaching institution, but its teaching is the most effect- 
ual of all teaching, ivhen it is rightly done. But we must 
away with the operatic airs and style, and everything 
that hinders being understood. Hence our songs and 
tunes, like those of the first Christians, must be plain 
and simple, and we must learn to sing them "to the un- 
derstanding." Then shall we teach, and admonish, and 
make melody in our hearts. 

This excellent writer goes on to say : 

"Reason with man, and you "but address his understanding; you 
gain, it may be, his cold conviction. Embody the truth in a creed 
or confession of faith ; to this he may also yield, assent, and remain 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 327 

as unmoved as before. But express it in the sacred song. Let it 
mingle with his devotions in the sanctuary, and in the family ; let his 
most endeared associations cluster around it. as the central point, not 
only of his faith, but of his hopes, his joys; and what before was a 
speculative belief has become his living sentiment, the governing 
principle both of the understanding and the heart. The single book 
of psalms and hymns, therefore, does unspeakably more to form the 
doctrinal sentiments of men than all the formularies, creeds and con- 
fessions of polemics and divines. With great propriety, therefore has 
the hymn book long been styled the layman's Bible" ( Augusti Denk. ) 
* "The spiritual songs of the primitive Christians were al- 
most exclusively of a devotional character. * * * They were gen- 
erally altogether doctrinal." 

Then he shows that — " Christian psalmody is one of 
the most efficient means of promulgating a religious 
system among the people," giving cases, etc., which it 
would be a pleasure to note here. All this implies that 
singing is a teaching ordinance, and that, consequently, 
we must so sing as to be understood. Hence, we need 
now, not only to get rid of instrumental music in the 
worship, but also to reform our songs and our manner 
of singing them. This theme needs a volume. Bishop 
Jewel says of the singing in England early in the 
reformation. 

" A change now appears visible among the people, which nothing 
promotes more than inviting them to sing psalms. This was begun 
in one church, in London, and did quickly spread itself, not only 
through the city, but in neighboring places. Sometimes at Paul's 
cross there will be six thousand singing together." 

Another author cites a case where twelve thousand 
sang together, and with such distinctness that every 
word was heard, as when one read or spoke ! It will 
not do, therefore, to say this cannot be done. True, it 
cannot be done with instrumental accompanyments, or 
after our present popular manner of singing. But it 
has been done, and must be done, if we follow the script- 
ures and promote true piety. 



328 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

To "teach and admonish " in singing, we must not only 
avoid instrumental accompanyments, and all discords, 
etc., but we must change our music so all will pronounce 
the same words at the same time, distinctly enunciating 
every syllable ; and not have one singing one word, or 
one line, or clause, and the rest another. This puts 
it out of the power of hearers to determine what is sung. 
We might as well speak or sing in a foreign or unknown 
tongue, which is forbidden. 1 Cor. xiv : 27-31. 

Of the influence of singing very much needs to be said. 
Prof. Stowe,on Com. schools, p. 26, reports a distinguish- 
ed overseer of an institute for reforming juvenile offend- 
ers in Berlin, thus : 

" I always keep these little rogues singing at their work. I always 
keep them singing, for while the children sing the devil cannot come 
among them at all ; he can only sit oat doors there and growl ; but if 
they stop singing, in comes the devil." 

Yet, some singing would rather invite him in. 

SOCIAL MANNER OF THEIR LORD'S DAY MEETINGS. 

"We have seen how social were the meetings of the 
first Christians as reported in the New Testament. In 
the second and third centuries, we learn as to this from 
Clemens Romanus, Clement, Polycarp, Tertullian, Cyp- 
rian, Origen, the Apostolical constitutions, etc. Tertul- 
lian, A. D. 178 or 199, says : 

" We Christians, are one body by our agreement in religion, and 
our unity of discipline, and bonds of hope, speipoedere, being anointed, 
with one and the same hope." 

He then proceeds to describe their public worship as 
consisting in prayer and the reading of the scriptures ; 
and adds : 

" Surely from the sacred oracles we strengthen our faith, we en- 
courage our hope, we establish our trust, [in God] and by the divine 
precepts press the duties of religion. Here, also, we exhort and re- 
prove, and pass the divine censure [the sentence of excommunication.] 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 329 

For the judgment is given with great solemnity, and as in the pres- 
ence of God. And it is regarded as the most impressive emblem of 
the final judgment,' when one has so sinned as to be banished from 
the prayers, the assemblies, and the holy communion of the 
church." 

Justin, who was beheaded in Rome A. D. 165, after 
describing the Lord's Supper, which all agree the an- 
cient disciples observed every first day of the week, 
says : 

" On the day called Sunday, we all assemble together, both those 
who reside in the country, and they who dwell in the city, and the 
commentaries of the apostles and the writings of the prophets are 
read as long as time permits. When the reader has ended, the pres- 
ident, in an address, makes an application, and enforces an imitation 
of the excellent things which have been read," etc. 

Justin had traveled very largely, as Paul did, and was 
" personally acquainted with most of the principal 
churches in every land." Thus, up to the close of the 
second century, " the churches continued to worship 
God in all the simplicity of the primitive disciples." It 
was in the third century the preachers began to get con- 
trol, and changed the order to the clergy style, some- 
what ; for the change was not general or complete even 
in the fourth century. In fact, large numbers of 
churches in Africa and elsewhere, never submitted to 
the domination of the clergy. 

And Mr. Coleman thinks the Apostolical Constitutions, 
like the Canons, were written near the close of the 
third, or beginning of the fourth century, and adds : 

" The advancement of episcopal dignity and power appears to have 
been the chief design of the forgery." 

This is not an unjust decision; for the spirit and aim of 
the clergy has, from its inception, been untruthful, self- 
ish and unreliable— just as it is to-day. This domi- 
nating spirit never ceased till it " changed times and 
laws" largely, destroyed the independency of the 



330 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

churches, practically displaced the scriptural rulers 
and teachers, and assumed control of the churches, one 
man to each church, and at a good salary. 

Of their names. " The names which Christians as- 
sumed for themselves were — saints, believers, elect, dis- 
ciples, brethren, people of God." They, " from the first, 
refused all sectarian names. They would call no man 
master; neither would they receive any title which 
should imply that their religion was of human origin, 
as the writers of the fourth and fifth centuries began to 
assert." 

It would be a refreshing pleasure to copy here many 
of the ancient authors. Happily they all agree in the 
main. Their dress was plain and inexpensive, having 
nothing fashionable, pridy or costly ; and their houses 
of worship were of the same nature. So, indeed, were 
their whole lives. They were about as much unlike the 
world as people could be to live in the world. They 
were practically and really, in heart and life, a peculiar 
people — new creatures in Christ. A change in these 
things came only with other corruptions, and was 
manipulated, like the rest, mostly by aspiring preachers. 
The churches of the first two centuries, if placed beside 
those now denominated orthodox Christians, would af- 
ford a contrast as between day and night ; between pride 
and humility; between selfishness and true philanthropy. 
This cannot be too strongly emphasized. The excep- 
tions were where preachers got control and corrupted 
the worship. 

In organization and government, the retrogade steps 

were : 

1. To place a preacher at the head of each church, 
and over the bishops and deacons. This man was, at 
first, one of the bishops ; and they simply made him 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 331 

president of the bishops. But soon he was the bishop, 
or pastor of the church, and the other officers were 
sinecures. Then, came, some time after this, hired pas- 
tors from abroad. This is just where a large number 
of those churches are who are pretending to follow the 
Bible alone, and to call Bible things by Bible names now. 
" Justin Martyr, the earliest of the fathers, says that 
the presiding officer offered prayers and thanksgivings, 
and the people responded, amen" This was only the 
president of the day. They had not then got to the one 
man pastor system, as we have it now. " According to 
Rheinwald and Geeseler, the distinction between laity 
and clergy, was unknown till in the second century. 
Previous to this all performed the office of priest as they 
had occasion." Jerome says that for the first 200 years 
the churches were governed by their presbyters, or elders 
(J. e., the bishops,) alone; that the change was by a hu- 
man contrivance, and came by degrees. One preacher, 
whether called a pastor or clergyman, instead of a plu- 
rality of elderly men of staid and tried character, was 
the first backward step — a step now ranked as pro- 
gressive ! 

2. After the one bishop or pastor system got under 
way, came the diocesan organization. He was not con- 
tent to rule one church; he claimed to rule all the 
smaller churches in. his region, which he called his 
diocese. 

3. Then came the metropolitan organization, and so 
was established an ecclesiastical aristocracy unknown in 
the scriptures, and unequalled in the history of the world. 

4. Soon, then, followed the strife between the Eastern 
and Western chief metropolitan bishops, resulting in the 
Greek and Roman churches. Ensebius, who lived in the 
age now under consideration, says : 



332 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

" After Christianity, through too much liberty, was changed into 
laxness and sloth, then began men to envy and revile one another ; 
and to wound one another as if with arms and spears in actual war- 
fare. Then bishop arose against bishop, and church against church. 
Great tumult prevailed, and hypocrisy and dissimulation were carried 
to the highest pitch. And then began the divine vengeance as is 
usual, to visit us ; and such was the condition of the church that the 
most part came not freely together." 

Chrysostom says of this period : 

" As things are, all is corrupted and lost. The church is little else 
than a stall for cattle, or a fold for camels and asses ; and when I go 
out in search of sheep, I find none. All are rampant and refractory 
as herds of horses and wild asses ; everything is filled with their 
abounding corruptions." 

UNION OF CHURCH AND STATE. 

This took place under Constantine, early in the fourth 
century. He claimed to be head of the church, called 
councils, appointed bishops, etc., and modeled the eccle- 
siastical government largely after the civil government. 
He promoted the preachers, called bishops and clergy- 
men, of different orders, honored them with place, power 
and wealth, and had them largely take the place, and do 
the work of civil rulers. They held their synods, made 
their laws, and devised ways and means to completely 
subjugate the people, and promote themselves to power, 
wealth and honor. "It was a law strictly enforced that 
every layman should believe blindly, without inquiry, 
without evidence, all that the church represented by the 
bishops in synod, should prescribe." 

It is useless for those who are now too much like these 
clergymen, to kick against these facts. It would be 
easy here to copy many unquestionable testimonies. 
Gregory Nazianzen, A. D. 360, in view of these ambitions 
contentions, and their resulting departures and corrup- 
tions, says : 

" How I wish there had been no precedence, no priority of place, 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 333 

no authoritative dictatorship, that we might be distinguished by vir- 
tue alone. * * * I am worn out — with contending against the 
envy of the holy bishops ; disturbing the public peace by their con- 
tentions, and subordinating the Christian faith to their own private 
interests. * * If I must write the whole truth, I am determin- 

ed to absent myself from all assemblies of the bishops. I have never 
seen a happy result of any councils, nor any that did not occasion an 
increase of evils, rather than a reformation of them by reason of 
these pertinatious contentions, and this vehement thirst for power, 
such as no words can express." — Epist. Philagrio, 65, al. 59 p. 823, cmrf 
Ep. Procopio, 55, al. 42, p. 814. 

"This crafty alliance of the pope with Pepin, proved advantageous 
only to the designs of the prelate, and the chief means of establish- 
ing his secular power. This important point in history distinctly 
marks the date of the establishment of the papal power in Rome, 
which, in the middle ages, became so vast that all Europe trembled 
before it. Thus, as we have seen ecclesiastical history introduces first 
to our notice, single independent churches ; then churches having 
several dependent branches; then diocesan churches ; then metro- 
politan or provincial churches, and then national churches attemper- 
ed to the civil power. * * * The government of the church was 
at first a democracy, allowing all its constituents the most enlarged 
freedom of a voluntary religions association. It became an absolute 
and iron despotism. The gradations of ecclesiastical organization 
through which it passed, were, from congregational to parochial, 
parochial to diocesan, diocesan to metropolitan, metropolitan to patri- 
archal, patriarchal to papal."4pos. and prim. ch. pp. 312, 313. 

Robert Hall says : 

"Wherever religion is established bylaw, with splendid emolu- 
ments and dignities annexed to its profession, the clergy, who are 
candidates for these distinctions, will ever be prone to exalt the pre- 
rogative, not only to strengthen the arm on which they lean, but that 
they may the more successfully ingratiate themselves in the favor of 
the prince, by flattering those ambitious views and passions which 
are too readily entertained by persons possessed of supreme power. 
The boasted alliance between church and state, on which so many 
encomiums have been lavished, seems to have been little more than 
a compact between the priest (or preacher, ) and magistrate to be- 
tray the liberties of mankind, both civil and religious. To this the 
clergy on their part at least have coutinued steady, shunning inquiry, 
fearful of change, blind to the corruptions of government, skilful to 
" discern the signs of tlie times, and eager to improve every opportunity, 



334 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

and to employ all their art and eloquence to extend the prerogative, 
and smooth the approach of arbitrary power." 

Under Constantine, the clergy were entrusted largely 
with civil as well as ecclesiastic power. 

" Constantine gave to the bishops [then the one man preacher to a 
church,] the right of deciding in secular matters, making them the 
highest court of judicature, and ordering that their judgment should 
be final and decisive as that of the Emperor himself, whose officers 
were accordingly required to execute these decisions." — Eusebius Be 
Vit. Caust. C. 27. 

OF WITHDRAWING FROM SUCH CORRUPTIONS. 

The reader has, no doubt, before this, been ready to 
ask, why the sincere worshipers did not withdraw from 
such a mass of corruption, and worship among them- 
selves as the first Christians did ? This was not so easy. 
It is not now ; and it was far more difficult then, owing 
to the severe persecution it involved — even to death. 
Yet, many did withdraw, at whatever peril, and did suf- 
fer far more than is on record, no doubt, and certainly 
far more than can be transcribed here. 

To be sure that they were more than justified in with- 
drawing, we have only to consider what Christianity is 
in the New Testament, and what it was in actual prac- 
tice in the primitive churches, as given by all authors, 
and then note how exceedingly far both the Greek and 
Roman hierarchies had departed from this in letter and 
spirit, in word and deed, in the form of church govern- 
ment, and manner of living, especially on the part of 
the leaders and rulers. Even before there was a pope 
in the more modern sense. 

" The bishop of Rome was the first in rank, and distin- 
guished by a sort of pre-eminence over all other prelates. 
He surpassed all his brethren in splendor and magnifi- 
cence of the church over which he presided; in the 
riches of his revenues and possessions ; in the number 



LIVE RELIGIO US ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 335 

and variety of his ministers ; in his credit with the peo- 
ple; and his sumptuous and splendid manner of living." 
Ammianns Marcellinus, a Roman historian, who lived 
during these times, adverting to this subject, says : 

" It was no wonder to see those who were ambitious of human 
greatness, contending with so much heat and animosity for that dig- 
nity, because, when they had obtained it, they were sure to be en- 
riched with the offerings of the matrons, of appearing abroad in 
great splendor, of being admired for their costly coaches ; sumptuous 
in their feasts, outdoing sovereign princes in the expenses of their 
table. This led Prcetextatus, an heathen, who was prefect of the 
city, to say: 'Make me bishop of Rome, and Til be a Christian, too." 1 " 

All the other bishops sought to copy the example of 
the bishop at Rome, as they were able, and Constantine 
enabled them to gratify their desires very largely.. 
For,— 

"In the reign of Constantine, the government of the church was, 
as far as possible, arranged conformably to the government of the 
state ; the bishops corresponded to those magistrates whose jurisdic- 
tion was confined to single cities ; the metropolitans, to the procon- 
suls, or presidents of provinces; the primates to the Emperor's vicars, 
each of whom governed one of the imperial provinces." — Priestly' s 
history of the Corruptions of Christianity. Vol. 2, p. 242. 

"But while the church was thus triumphant over the pagan world, 
it cannot be concealed that its spiritual prosperity was diminished. 
The worldly grandeur in which it was arrayed under Constantine was 
ill calculated to promote the religion of the meek and lowly Jesus; 
and it may well be doubted, as it often has been, whether the admin- 
istration of this zealous Emperor, with all its commendable features, 
was productive of more good than evil. That he was governed by an 
earnest wish to promote the interests of Christianity, can scarcely be 
questioned. But the union of the church with the state, the power 
bestowed on the clergy, and the encouragement given to monkery, 
were fruitful sources of many evils, 'it was in this century, and 
chiefly by these measures, that a foundation was laid for the great 
apostasy, so conspicuous in the dark ages in the rise and establish- 
ment of the papal power." — Rider's ch. hist. p. 00. 

"'The mystery of iniquity,' which had been secretly working 
since the very days of the apostle, (2 Thess. ii : 7 ;) had nevertheless, 
been subject to considerable control, so long as paganism remained 
the established religion of the empire, and Christians were conse- 



'336 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

quently compelled to bear their cross, by patiently suffering the hatred 
of the world, in conformity to the captain of their salvation. But no 
sooner was this impediment removed, by the establishment of Chris- 
tianity, under Constantine, than ' the man of sin,' 'the son of perdition,' 
began to be manifest. Men were now found, professing themselves 
the disciples of the meek and lowly Jesus, yet walking after the 
course of this world. ' lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, 
proud, blasphemers, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure 
more than lovers of God,' ' having a form of godliness, but denying 
the power thereof.' 2 Tim. iii : 3-5. And as this state of things con- 
tinued to increase in progressive enormity, until it ultimately brought 
forth the monstrous system of iniquity, denominated ' Mystery, Baby- 
lon the great, the mother of harlots and abomination of the earth,'' describ- 
ed by the prophetic pen, as ' the habitation of devils — the hold of 
every foul spirit — the cage of every unclean and hateful bird,' — we 
may rest fully assured that the sheep of Christ — those who heard his 
voice and followed his will, would see it their indispensable duty to 
separate themselves from such an impure communion, in obedience 
to the re-iterated command of God." 2 Cor. vi : 14-18 ; 2 Tim. iii ; 5 ; 
Rev. xviii : 4. 

" It may be proper to remark that, long before the times of which we 
now treat, some Christians had seen it their duty to withdraw from 
the communion of the church of Rome. The first instance of this 
that we find on record, if we except that of Tertullian, is the case of 
Novatian, who in the year 251 was ordained the pastor of a church in 
the city of Rome, which maintained no fellowship with the Catholic 
party. * * ** The following is the account given of Novatian by 
the late Mr. Robt. Robinson, in his ecclesiastic researches, p. 126 ; 
and I the more readily submit it to the reader, because none who 
know Mr. Robinson, can, for a moment, suspect him of having any 
undue predilection for the principles of Novatian. 'He was,' says 
he, ' an elder in the church at Rome, a man of extensive learning, 
holding the same doctrine as the church did, and published several 
treaties in defense of what he believed. His address was eloquent 
and insinuating, and his morals unimpeachable. He saw with ex- 
treme pain the intolerable depravity of the church. Christians, in 
the space of a very few years, were caressed by one emperor, and 
persecuted by another. In seasons of prosperity, many persons 
rushed into the church for base purposes. In times of adversity, they 
denied the faith, and reverted again to idolatry. When the squall 
was over, away they came again to the church, with all their vices, to 
deprave others by their example. The bishops, fond of proselytes, 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 337 

encouraged all this ; and transferred the attention of Christians from 
the old confederacy for virtue, to vain shows at Easter, and other 
Jewish ceremonies, adulterated too with paganism. On the death of 
bishop Fabian, Cornelius, a brother elder, and a violent partisan for 
taking in the multitude, was put in nomination. Novatian opposed 
him ; but as Cornelius carried his election, and he saw no prospect of 
reformation, but on the contrary, a tide of immorality pouring into 
the church, he withdrew, and a great many with him. Cornelius, ir- 
ritated by Cyprian, who was just in the same condition, through the 
remonstrances of virtuous men at Carthage, and who was exasperated 
beyond measure with one of his own elders, named Novatus, who 
had quitted Carthage, and gone to Rome to espouse the cause of 
Novatian, called a council and got a sentence of excommunication 
passed against Novatian. In the end Novatian formed a church, and 
was elected bishop. Great numbers followed his example, and all 
over the empire Puritan churches were constituted, and flourished 
through the succeeding two hundred years. Afterwards, when penal 
laws obliged them to lurk in corners, and worship God in private, 
they were distinguished by a variety of names, and a succession of them 
continued till the reformation." 

The same author, afterwards adverting to the vile 

callumnies, with which the Catholic writers have, in 

all ages, delighted to asperse the character of Novatian, 

thus proceeds to vindicate him : 

" ' They say Novatian was the first anti-pope ; and yet there was, at 
that time, no pope, in the modern sense of the word. They call 
Novatian the author of the heresy of puritanism ; and yet they know 
that Tertullian had quitted the church nearly fifty years before, for 
the same reason, and Privatus, who was an old man in the time of 
Novatian, had, with several more, repeatedly remonstrated against 
the alterations taking place, and as they could get no redress, had dis- 
sented and formed separate congregations. They tax Novatian with 
being the parent of an innumerable multitude of congregations of 
Puritans all over the empire, and yet he had no other influence over 
any, than what his good example gave him. People everywhere saw 
the same cause of complaint, and groaned for relief; and when one 
man made a stand for virtue the crisis had arrived ; people saw the 
propriety of the cure, and applied the same means to their own re- 
lief. They blame this man, and all these churches, for the severity 
of their discipline ; yet this severe discipline was the only coercion of 
22 



338 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

the primitive churches, and it was the exercise of this that rendered 
civil coercion unnecessary.' " — Jones' Ch. Hist. pp. 179, 180, 181. 

Mosheim says Novatian was "a man of uncommon 

learning and eloquence." 

Mr. Jones continues, p. 182 : 

'"Dr. Lardner,' [whose works the present writer has before him,] 
in his ' credibility of the Gospel History, ch. 49, has been at considerable 
pains in comparing the various and contradictory representations that 
have been given of Novatian and his followers, and has exhonorated 
them from a mass of obloquy, cast upon them by the Catholic party. 
Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, wrote many epistles or treatises, re- 
specting the sect of the Novatians, which afford abundant evidence 
that their rigid discipline was relished by many. Fabius, bishop of 
Antioch, in particular, was their friend and favorer. Marcian, bishop 
of Aries, was firm in the same principles in the time of Stephen, bishop 
of Rome. A church was founded at Carthage for the Novatian party, 
of which Maximus was the pastor. Socrates, the historian, speaks 
of their churches at Constantinople, Nice, Nicomedia, and Catiaeus 
in Phrygia, all in the fourth century. These he mentions as their 
principal places in the East, and he supposes them to have been 
equally numerous in the West. They had among them some persons 
of considerable note, and of eminent talents. Among these were 
Agetius, Acetius, Sisinnius, and Marcian, all of Constantinople. Soc- 
rates mentions one Mark, bishop of the Novatians in Scythia, who 
died in the year 439. In fact, the pieces written against them by a 
variety of authors of the Catholic church— such as Ambrose, Pacian, 
aud others ; the notice taken of them by Basil and Gregory Nazienzan 
and the accounts given of them by Socrates and Sozamen in their 
eccleciastical histories, are proof of their being numerous, and that 
churches of this denomination were to be found in most parts of the 
world in the fourth and fifth centuries. ' The vast extent of this 
sect,' says Dr. Lardner, ' is manifest from the names of the authors 
who have mentioned them, or written against them, and from the 
several parts of the Roman empire in which they were found.' " — 
Lardner 1 s works, 4 to. ed. Vol. 2, p. 57. 

In order that we may do justice to the Novatians, 
Puritans, etc., here referred to, we must remember that 
the accounts we have of them are mostly from their 
enemies, the Catholics and pagans. Puritan was a com- 
mon name for those who sought to live pure lives ac- 



LIVE REL1GI0 US ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 339 

cording to the gospel, and is applied to various people 
in the history of the church from the days of Novatian. 
Their opposers, who could not answer their scriptural 
arguments and proofs, and who were not willing to yield, 
sought to destroy their influence by misrepresenting 
their teaching, and their lives, charging them with the 
vilest crimes, applying to them the worst and most of- 
fensive names, etc. These people, being true Christians, 
were not inclined to magnify their numbers or their vir- 
tues, and the probability is, that we have not a history 
of them that does them justice. They are dwelt upon 
here to show the true church, separated from the cor- 
rupt mass. In tracing the history of the church of 
Christ, we do not, therefore, go any more to the Roman 
hierarchy. She is rather, in the style of John, the syn- 
aswue of Satan than the church of Christ. And we, 
look to those who have taken heed to the call, Rev. 
xviii : 4, "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not 
partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her 
plagues." 

SUM OF THE TESTIMONY TO A. D. 606. 

Hasty and incomplete as this narrative is, and must 
be, according to the plan adopted, it may be well to post 
up a little, before we proceed further. We have seen : 

I. The New Testament church, under the administra- 
tion of the apostles, almost to the close of the first cen- 
tury. This was true Christianity, and nothing else can 
be, since there was but one Christian system, and can 
never be another. And as it claims perfection for itself, 
as to all the purposes to be accomplished by revelation 
and by a church organization ; as it forbids additions 
and subtractions; and as we can see that none are 
needed, in order to the gracious purposes contemplated 
by this system, we must regard all outside of it — all addi- 



340 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

tions, all subtractions, all alterations — all things not 
plainly included in it, as opposed to it, and justly styled 
innovations, corrupting its pure worship, and hindering 
its needed progress. Primitive Christianity is, there- 
fore, our ideal of perfection, our pattern and our goal, 
the beauty of the Zion of God, and the strong hold and 
safety for his saints in all ages and countries, till Jesus 
comes again in person. 

II. We have seen that this system was to be corrupt- 
ed, according to the prophets, and that the " Mystery of 
iniquity doth already now work," or did work, in the 
days of Paul. The seeds were sown in the garden of 
the Lord, and bore some fruit — partyism and selfishness. 
Yet, in the main, the worship remained pure, with 
comparatively small exceptions, through the second 
century. 

In the third century this working iniquity was stronger 
and more fruitful, and various leading men found it nec- 
essary to withdraw fellowship from the great mass, ow- 
ing to prevailing corruptions and innovations. Here we 
begin to note the dissenters. Those they had to abandon 
and denounce reproached them, and charged them with 
heresies and great wrongs ; yet, the facts show that these 
dissenters were a godly people, followed the divine guid- 
ance, and were the true church of God. 

III. Specimens of these dissenters are given. See ref- 
erences to Tertullian and Privatus and others, near the 
close of the second, or beginning of third century. 
Then A. D. 252 to 260, we have Novatian, and a large 
number of dissenters. Then come the Cathari, or Pu- 
ritans all over the empire. The seceders were self-sus- 
taining, and self-perpetuating, as all God's people have 
ever been — even under persecution ; and vast numbers 
were added to them by secession from the Constantine 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 341 

state church, owing to increasing corruptions ; and both 
the corruptions and secessions further increased under 
the reigns of Constantine's sons, and Pope Sylvester, 
about A. D. 350, when the union of church and state, 
began to develop itself, and the clergy became more 
worldly, lordly, unjust and oppressive. With that state 
church God's people have never since had fellowship. 
At this period, as we have seen, the number of the true 
apostolic worshipers, who had not fellowship with the 
secularized party, was very great in almost all parts of 
the empire ; and they so continued till 606, when the 
pope of Rome claimed to be the earthly head of the 
church. From this period we may start again our fol- 
lowing of the true worshipers. But we go no more to 
the Roman or Greek hierachy. 

IV. Two items should here be noted distinctly: 1. 
That these dissenters claimed to desire to worship just 
as the first Christians worshiped. With one voice they 
all said we bow to nothing but the word of God. What- 
ever is not in it is not of God, and must not be received 
of men, or bound upon men. They use the very lan- 
guage, both as to human ordinances, and as to apostolic 
Christianity that those now use who seek to be consist- 
ent in claiming to follow the Bible alone. 

2. Before they came out from the erring mass they 
had learned to use some unscriptural phrases, which they 
did not always correct ; as the Sabbath, for the first day 
of the week ; applying the word sacrament to baptism 
and the Lord's Supper ; calling preachers priests, and 
speaking of the principal bishop in each church as the 
bishop or pastor. This is not the Xew Testament style, 
and it is accounted for by their former associations. 
The evidence is not that Tertullian or those associated 
with him were bishops at all. They were simply prom- 



342 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

inent men. They, like Paul and several modern leaders 
did not wish to have a party called by their names ; but 
so the historians would have it. They disclaimed all hu- 
man names, as they did all human ordinances and com- 
mands, and sought to call Bible things by Bible names, 
as some of us do now. 

V. These dissenters, though the true church, were not 
perfect in doctrine or practice. If Tertuliian were right 
in saying, where three even of the laity were, there was 
the church (and Jesus certainly meant this when he said, 
" where two or three are assembled in my name, there 
am I in their midst,") then were there many groups of 
faithful disciples outside of the Roman hierarchy, far 
better and more deserving than many larger groups of 
disciples in the days of the apostles, who are recognized 
by Paul and John as the true churches of Christ. And 
we shall find such, also, from the manhood state of the 
man of sin, 606, to the days of Luther, and on till now. 
Immersion was practiced in the Latin and Greek 
churches till 1311, except in the case of Clinics — even 
for children ; indeed, the Creek church practices it yet. 
And if you refer to their imperfections, you should first 
go back, and determine why Paul recognized the Corin- 
thians as " the church of God;" and why the angel sent 
to John by Jesus, recognized the very bad churches in 
Asia. Five out of seven of them were far worse than 
these dissenters, and the others since who must be ac- 
cepted as the church of God. In tracing the true church, 
we must not, therefore, except perfection. We look for 
the ordinance which separates us from the world — Chris- 
tian immersion — and for that degree of purity which 
will commend them to God, always remembering their 
surroundings. We do not look for organizations, be- 
cause the organization provided in the New Testament 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 343 

is not necessary to a church, though it is necessary to its 
best interests. A community of Christians are a church 
whether organized or not. We look only for commun- 
ities of Christians. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

The True Church from 606 to 11th Century and on to Luther. — Pa- 
pal claims — various quotations in proof; where the faithful were 
scattered, and their persecutions ; the false and wicked ways and 
means of opposing them ; from Gregory VII to Luther ; various 
reformations, or secessions from the corrupt mass; how they 
suffered and how they triumphed ; churches in various places 
and in all ages as pure as many apostolic churches; the Lutheran 
reformation, 16th century; general summary ; fulfillment of proph- 
ecy in the perpetuity of the church — in the apostasy — its several 
steps; dangers of worldly popularity, numbers, wealth, etc., as 
shown in the history of the church. 

Quotation marks will at least show credit to some 
other writer ; and this course is adopted when the author 
is not more distinctly referred to. 

" In the year 590, the bishops of Italy and the Grisons (Switzer- 
land) to the number of nine rejected the communion of the pope as a 
heretic. This schism had already continued from the year 553, and 
towards the close of the century, the emperor, Maurice, having order- 
ed them to be present at the council of Home, they were dispensed 
with by the emperor upon their protesting they could not communi- 
cate with pope Gregory I."— Dr. Allix's Remarks, ch. V. pp. 32. 

"A spectator, taking his stand on the top of the ridge of these 
mountains, will observe, that at the foot, on the Spanish side, lie 
Asturias, Old Castle, Arregon and Catalonia; and on the French 
side, Guenne and Longuedoc, Toulouse, Beam, Alby, Rousillan and 
Norbonne, all of which places were remarkable in the darkest times 
for harboring Christians who were reputed heretics. Indeed, from 
the borders of Spain, throughout the greatest part of the south of 
France, among and below the Alps, along the Ehine, and even to 
Bohemia, thousands of the disciples of Christ, as will hereafter be 
shown, were found, even in the worst of times, preserving the faith 
in its purity, adhering to the simplicity of Christian worship, patient 
in bearing the cross after Christ ; men distinguished by their fear of 
God and obedience to his will, and persecuted only for righteousness' 
sake." — Jones p. 244. 
(344) 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 345 

About A.D. 660 the Paulicians arose. Their begin- 
ning is found in Jones' ch. history, pp. 239, 240, etc. A 
rich merchant, named Constantine, was converted by a 
New Testament which was obtained from a deacon just 
released from captivity among the Mahometans. Con- 
stantine lived in Mananalis, near Somosata. Gibbons 
says : 

" He investigated the creed of the primitive Christians," etc. "A 
Christian church was collected. In a little time several individuals 
arose among them qualified for the work of the ministry ; and several 
other churches were collected throughout Armenia and Capadocia. 
It appears, from the whole of their history, to have been a leading 
object with Constantine and his brethren, to restore, as far as possible, 
the profession of Christianity to all its primitive simplicity. * * * 
Constantine now * * * received the name of Sylvanus, and oth- 
ers of his. fellow laborers were called Titus, Timothy, Tychicus, etc., 
and as the churches arose and were formed in different places, they 
were named after those apostolic churches to which Paul originally 
addressed his inspired writings. The labors of Constantine — Sylvanus 
were crowned with much success. Pontius and Capadocia, regions 
once renowned for Christian piety, were again blessed with a diffusion 
of the light of divine truth. * * * Their congregations, in process 
of time, were diffused over the province of Asia minor, to the west of 
the Euphrates." " The Paulician teachers," says Gibbon, " were dis- 
tinguished only by their scriptural names, by the modest title of fel- 
low pilgrims, by the austerity of their lives, their zeal and knowl- 
edge," etc. "During a period of one hundred and fifty years, these 
Christian churches seem to have been almost incessantly subjected to 
persecution, which they supported with Christian meekness and pa- 
tience ; and if the acts of their martyrdom, their preaching and their 
lives, were distinctly recorded, I see no reason to doubt that we 
should find in them the genuine successors of the Christians of the 
two first centuries." "Theodora, the Greek empress, killed a hun- 
dred thousand of them ! Yet they were far from being exterminated. 
The living were scattered abroad, and built up churches in other 
countries." 

Paulinas was bishop of the church at Aquileia, in 
Italy, 776, and died 804. He bore a noble testimony for 
the pure gospel, and against all corruptions, perversions 
and errors. lie and other Italian bishops boldly con- 



346 LIVE BELIG10 US ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 

demned the decrees of tlie Second Council of Nice, etc. 
They evidently raised a great light in that dark region, 
and mightily encouraged the faithful. 

Claude, of Turin, was for a time, chaplain in the 
court of the emperor Lewis. About 817 he was placed 
at Turin. He was called "the first protestant re- 
former," owing to his great labors for truth and purity. 
He pronounced anathemas against traditions, etc., and 
thus drew attention to the word of God, and that alone 
as the foundation of faith and the source of authority. 
This raised a great storm against him, and he replied: 

"As if I were preaching a new doctrine, or setting myself up as the 
founder of a new sect, contrary to the rules of the ancient Catholic 
faith, which is an absolute falsehood. But it is no wonder that the 
members of Satan should talk of me at this rate since they called 
[Christ] our Head a deceiver, and one that had a devil, etc. For I 
teach no new heresy, but keep myself to the pure truth, preaching and 
publishing nothing but that. On the contrary, as far as in me lies, I 
have repressed, opposed, cast down, and destroyed, and do still re- 
press, oppose, and destroy, to the utmost of my power, all sects, 
schisms, superstitions and heresies, and shall never cease to do so, 
God being my helper, as far as in me lies. "When I came to Turin I 
found all the churches full of abominations and images ; and because 
I began to destroy what every one adored, every one began to open 
his mouth against me." 

This was about 825, as reported by Dr. Allixis. He 
further says : 

" God commands one thing, and these people do quite the con- 
trary. God commands us to bear our cross, and not to worship it ; but 
these are all for ivorshiping it, whereas they do not bear it at all. As 
for your reproaching me, that I hinder men from running in pilgrim- 
ages to Rome, etc. * * * You should remember that he only is 
apostolic who is the keeper and guardian of the apostles' doctrine, 
and not he who boasts himself of being seated in the chair of the 
apostle, and in the meantime neglects to acquit himself of the apos- 
tolic charge, for the Lord said the scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' 
seat. * * • His doctrine grew exceedingly — the valleys of Pied- 
mont were in time filled with his disciples, and while midnight dark- 
ness sat enthroned over almost every portion of the globe, the Wal- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 347 

denses, which is but another name for the inhabitants of these valleys, 
preserved the gospel among them in its native purity, and rejoiced in 
its glorious light." 
Wm. Jones says : 

" Claude continued his labors at Turin at least twenty years, and 
was alive eight hundred and thirty-nine. The Catholic writers, par- 
ticularly Genebrsed, in his chronology, and also Rorenco, have ex- 
plicitly owned, that the valleys of Piedmont, which belonged to 
the bishopric of Turin, preserved the opinions of Claude in the ninth 
and tenth centuries." 

And the history of the Paterines shows how exten- 
sively they spread, not only in Piedmont, but through- 
out the neighboring country of Milanese. Pepin, king of 
France, in the year 768 and on, was much impressed 
with the errors and vanities of the Romish priests, and 
probably with the truth itself. It is said of him : 

" His attention extended to the most distant corner of his empire, 
and to all ranks of men. His house was a model of economy, and his 
person of simplicity and true grandeur. ' For shame,' he would say 
to some of his nobles, who were more finely dressed than the occasion 
required, 'learn to dress like men, and let the world judge of your 
rank by your merit, not your dress.' Leave silks and finery to women, 
or reserve them for those days of pomp and ceremony, when robes 
are worn for show, not for use." 



FROM GREGORY VII, IN llTH CENTURY, TO LUTHER. 

It has been said, and seems now to be held by some 
sensible and good men, that the true church cannot be 
traced from the days of the apostles through the dark 
ages, and to the present day; that no church can be 
traced except that of the pope; and that Daniel, the 
Savior and Paul did not mean that the church should 
never be extinct. But this is a forced and very absurd 
construction of the Scriptures referred to, in support of 
an erroneous position. This narrative is not intended 
to be a history of the church, except so far as to serve 
some important ends ; as : 1. To encourage the study 



348 LIVE EELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

of church history. 2. To note the first apostasy. 3. 
The agents and instrumentalities, and the manner in 
which it was brought about. 4. To show that when 
the church had reached a certain degree of corruption, 
the faithful withdrew from it, and never had fellowship 
with it again. 5. That there were many such, as has 
been abundantly shown. 6. That they continued and 
multiplied even under the most cruel persecutions, and 
in various countries. 7. That we are not to confound 
the church with officers, organizations, or numbers, be- 
yond " two or three." The church existed as veritably 
when it had but few members, and no organization, as 
it did afterwards. To find faithful disciples is to find the 
church. 8. One other object will soon appear more dis- 
tinctly, viz : That numbers, wealth and worldly popu- 
larity tend to pride and corruption; that all reforma- 
tions and efiorts of the best people have shown this; 
and that what is called " the reformation of the nine- 
teenth century," is now suffering sorely from this evil 
influence, and going rapidly into apostasy from its orig- 
inal principles, which were strictly apostolic and scrip- 
tural. 

Our narrative is now in the midst of the darkest ages 
of the church, according to all historians. See Hal- 
lam's Middle Age, and the authors referred to. To the 
eleventh century, the days of Gregory VII, (there were 
sixteen Gregories,) the evidence seems indisputable, that 
the true church not only stood, but was very extensive 
and numerous entirely outside of the Roman hierarchy. 
Now, if we can find as many and as faithful disciples 
down to the Lutheran reformation, the evidence will be 
complete. For no one questions its existence since the 
beginning of the sixteenth century. 

Remember, immersion was universally practiced for 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY 349 

baptism, even with children, till the thirteenth century, 
except in special cases of sickness or feebleencss, and 
then affusion was called clinical baptism, and was re- 
garded as a substitute. The Greek church practices im- 
mersion still. The Roman church, however, in fulfill- 
ment of Paul's prediction, "seeking to change times 
and laws," did, at the Council of Ravenna, A. I). 1311, 
decree that sprinkling and pouring might be practiced 
indifferently. See British Ecyclopedia Art. Baptism. 
But the AValdenses and the Puritans of all classes re- 
fused to submit to the pope. And if, as some authors 
contend, there were some among these dissenters called 
"sprinkled Christians," it still remains certain that 
immersion was kept up regularly — the immersion of be- 
lievers. And when tracing the true church, we count 
only immersed penitent believers. Others may be very 
pure in spirit, and we need not judge as to their final sal- 
vation; but Jesus said: "Except a man [any man] be 
born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the 
kingdom of God," or church of God on earth. Dr. 
Wall says there was not any one of the writers of the 
first four hundred years, but who understood this to 
refer to baptism, and he, though an eminent pedo-bap- 
tist, said — immersion, because he spoke as a scholar and 
a historian. 

" During the dark ages which succeeded the invasion of Europe by 
the barbarous nations, when feudal anarchy distracted the civil gov- 
ernment, and a flood of superstition had deluged the church, Chris- 
tianity, banished from the seats of empire, and loathing the monkish 
abodes of indolence and vice, meekly retired into the sequestered val- 
leys of Piedmont. Finding there a race of men unarrayed in hostile 
armour, uncontaminated by the doctrines and commandments of an 
apostate church, unambitious in their temper, and simple in their 
manners, she preferred their society, and among them took • up her 
abode. The turbulence of the times, which drove many from the 
more fertile plains of France and Italy, in search of freedom and tran- 



350 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

quility, greatly augmented the population of this remote district ; and 
in the ninth century, the doctrine of the kingdom of heaven had been 
held forth among them with considerable clearness and ability by 
Claude, bishop of Turin." — Rankin's Hist. France, Vol. 3. 

" The archbishop of Turin, Milan and other cities, heard this report 
with anxiety. The Romish clergy called on the civil authorities, and 
finally got up a deadly persecution. Multitudes died. Catalan Girard, 
one of the martyrs, said of two flint stones : ' Sooner shall I eat these 
stones, than you shall be able by persecution to destroy the religion 
for which I die.' ' ; — Perrin's Hist, of the Vandoc's. p. 2. 

" Multitudes, however, fled like innocent and defenceless sheep from 
these devouring wolves. They crossed the Alps, and traveled in 
every direction, as Providence and the prospect of safety conducted 
them, into Germany, England, France, Italy and other countries. 
There they trimmed their lamps, and shone with new lustre. Their 
worth everywhere drew attention, and their doctrine formed increas- 
ing circles around them. The storm threatened their destruction, as 
the precious seeds of the future glorious reformation of the Christian 
church."— Rankin's Hist, of France, Vol. III. pp. 193-198. 

A little before A.D. 1140, Evervinus, of Stainfield, in 
the diocese of Cologne, in Germany, wrote to St. Ber- 
nard, whose word was then law, enquiring how to pro- 
ceed with these Cathari. This letter is preserved by 
Mabillon, and Dr. Allexis has translated it. See his re- 
marks on the Ancient Churches of Piedmont, p. 140. 
See also Mosheim, Vol. II. Cant. 11, part 2. In this 
letter Evervinus describes the heretics he would get rid 
of — for we are now dealing with enemies of the saints. 
He says : 

"Their heresy is this; they say that the church is only among 
themselves, because they alone follow the ways of Christ, and imitate 
the apostles, not seeking secular gains, etc. * * * Whereas ye, 
say they to us, join house to house, and field to field, seeking the 
things of this world— yea even your Monks and regular canons pos- 
sess all these things— describing themselves as the poor of Christ's 
flock, who have no certain abode, fleeing from one city to another, 
like sheep in the midst of wolves, enduring persecution with the apos- 
tles and martyrs; though strict in their manner of life, abstemious, 
laborious, devout and holy, and seeking what is needful for bodily 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 351 

sustenance, living as men who are not of the world. But you, say 
they, lovers of the world, have peace with the world, because you are 
of it. False apostles who adulterate the word of God, seeking their 
own things, have misled you and your ancestors, whereas we and our 
fathers having been born and brought up in the apostolic doctrine, 
have continued in the grace of Christ, and shall continue to the end. 
1 Bv their fruits ye shall know them,' saith Christ ; and our fruits are 
the foot-steps of Christ. The apostolic dignity, say they, is corrupted 
by engaging itself in secular affairs, while it sits in the chair of Peter. 
They do not hold the baptism of infants, alleging that passage of the 
g 0S p e l_' he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.' They 
place no confidence in the intercession of saints; and all things ob- 
served in the church which have not been established by Christ himself, or 
his apostles, they call superstition" 

Then he says that : 

"Those of them who have returned to our church tell us, that they 
had great numbers of their persuasion, scattered almost everywhere, and 
that among them were many of our clergy and monks. And as for those 
who were burnt, they, in the defence they made for themselves, told 
us, that this heresy had been concealed from the time of the martyrs, 
and that it had existed in Greece and other countries." 

This testimony, coming from an enemy, is very valu- 
able, not only to prove their existence but their vast num- 
bers, in different countries, and their true character, faith 
and life. Where are the Christians, ancient or modern, 
to surpass these in worthiness of all true Christians, 
honors and privileges? Dark as it was, all around 
them, lights they were in a dark place ! 

A monk, and afterwards an abbot, of Schanauge, 
named Egbert, who claimed to know these Cathari, or 
Puritans, from disputing with them, and from their 
confessions under persecutions, says : 

" They are commonly called Cathari, {Puritans,) a sort of people 
very pernicious to the Catholic faith, which like moths, they corrupt 
and destroy; and maintain their opinions by the author- 

ity of Scripture. * * • They deny the utility of baptism to in- 
fants ; insisting that baptism should be deferred till they make a per- 
sonal profession of faith and desire it." 

See his sermons against the Cathari. He adds : 



352 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

"Even in the twelfth century their numbers abounded in the 
neighborhood of Cologne, in Flanders, the south of France, Savoy 
and Milan ; they were increased to great multitudes throughout all 
countries." 

Towards the middle of the twelfth century, William 
ISTeuburg, the historian, says of a company of them that 
appeared in England : 

" They came originally from Gascoyne, where, being as numerous 
as the sand of the sea, they sorely infested both France, Italy, Spain 
and England. * * * Being interrogated about their religion, their 
teacher named Gerard, a man of learning, answered in their name, 
that they were Christians, and believed the doctrines of the apostles." 
See also Mr. Deune, in Archeologia, Vol. IX. pp. 293-305. 

In this same century we have Peter de Bruys. He 
denied baptism to infants, etc., including the prevailing 
errors, and holding fast to the true gospel. He was 
burned 1130. Soon after this Henry was said to be his 
disciple. He rejected infant baptism, etc., and died in 
prison for his religion about 1158. 

Then comes Arnold, of Brescia, who was a martyr 
for the pure faith, and left a large following, called by 
their enemies, Arnoldists. And then the Paterines, " who 
were not taxed with any immoralities," but, like Arnold 
and others, were terribly wrong, they said, as to infant 
baptism, the pope, the commands and inventions of 
men, etc. 

Jones' Church History, p. 282 tells us more of these 
Paterines ; that Alto, bishop of Verceulli, had heard 
of them eighty years before, and they were plenty. 

" From the tenth to the thirteenth century, the dissenters in Italy 
continued to multiply and increase. * * * The excessive wicked- 
ness of the court of Rome and the Italian prelates was better known 
in Italy than in other countries. There was no legal power in Italy 
in those times to put dissenters to death. Popular preachers in the 
church, such as Claude of Turin, and Arnold, of Brescia, increased the 
number of dissenters, for their disciples went further than their mas- 
ters. The adjacency of France and Spain, too, contributed to their in- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 353 

crease, for both abounded with Christians of this sort. Their church- 
es were divided into sixteen compartments, such as the English Bap- 
tists would call associations. Each of these were subdivided into 
parts which would here be termed congregations. In Milan there 
was a street called Pataria, where it is supposed they met for di- 
vine worship. At Modena they assembled at some water mills. 
They had houses at Farrara, Brescia, Virterbe, Verona, Vicenza, and 
several in Rimini, Romandiola, and other places. Remesius says, in 
1259 the Paterine church of Alba consisted of above five hundred 
members ; that of Concorezzo, of more than fifteen hundred ; and that 
of Bagnola of about two hundred. The houses where they met 
seem to have been hired by the people, and tenanted by one of the 
brethren. There were several in each city, and each was distinguish- 
ed by a mark known to themselves. They had bishops or elders, 
pastors and teachers, deacons and messengers; that is, men em- 
ployed in traveling to administer to the relief and comfort of the poor 
and the persecuted. The Paterines were decent in their deportment, 
modest in their address and discourse, and their morals irreproacha- 
ble. In their conversation there was no levity, no scurrility, no de- 
traction, no falsehood, no swearing. Their dress was neither fine nor 
mean. They were chaste and temperate, never visiting taverns or 
places of amusement. They were not given to anger, or other violent 
passions. They were not eager to accumulate wealth, but content 
with the necessaries of life. They avoided commerce because they 
thought it would expose them to the temptation of collusion, false- 
hood and oaths, choosing rather to live by labor or useful trades. 
They were always employed in spare hours, either in giving or re- 
ceiving instruction. Their bishops and officers were mechanics, 
weavers, shoemakers, and others, who maintained themselves by 
their industry." 

"In Bulgaria, Croatia, Dalmatia, and Hungary, churches were 
planted, which flourished throughout the thirteenth century. * * 
* In Bohemia and in the country of Passau, it has been computed 
that there were not less than eighty thousand of this class of Chris- 
tians in the year 1315." See Perrin's History of the Waldenses, ch. 
1, and on, for many quotations here made ; also, Dr. Allexis' remarks, 
and Robinson's Ecc. Researches. 

THE LUTHERAN REFORMATION, 16TH CENTURY. 

From the beginning of this outline of church history, 
the difficulty has been, a want of space for the accumu- 
lated testimony. Now, it is even much larger than at 



354 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

first. Having examined all the leading histories, there 
is so much as to render selections rather painful, i. e. r 
it is painful to leave out so much precisely to the point. 
But, having traced the true disciples nearly to Luther's 
day, in very great numbers, in many countries, it will be 
safe to close the testimonies. For no one can doubt their 
continued existence or their scriptural characteristics. 

Let it be remembered that, by whatever name, and in 
whatever country or age, they were the same Bible peo- 
ple. Being falsely accused, they several times publish- 
ed their creed, or what they believed and taught ; and 
this they did, not as a rule of discipline, after the modern 
style, but to clear themselves of false charges. Several 
of these are found in Jones' Church History, Sect. 3. 
Luther wrote a preface to one of them with his best 
commendation. Dr. Allexis, Perrin and ¥m. Jones, 
who give us more information of these people, assure 
us that, in the early part of the present century they 
still existed in several countries, and they locate and de- 
scribe them. In 1530 George Morell visted one of their 
preachers, and afterwards wrote him a most encourag- 
ing letter. See also Theodore Beza, who speaks of 
them as existing — " Time out of mind." And Bullin- 
ger traces them for four hundred years, and to Luth- 
er's day. Monsieur de Vignaux, one of their pastors 
for forty years, wrote a treatise concerniug their life, 
history, etc. In this he says : 

" We live in peace and harmony one with another, have intercourse 
and dealings chiefly among ourselves, having never mingled ourselves 
with the church of Rome, by marrying our sons to their daughters, or 
our daughters to their sons. Yet they are so pleased with our man- 
ners and customs, that Catholics, both lords and others, would rather 
have men and maid servants from among us. * * * That the 
holy Scriptures contain all things necessary to our salvation, and that 
we are called to believe only what they teach, without any regard for 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE BAY. 355 

the authority of man — that nothing else ought to be received by us 
except what God hath commanded. * * * That the true church 
of Christ consists of those who hear the word of God and believe 
it," etc. 

In believing it they included obedience to all its com- 
mands. And their avowed, and constant aim seems to 
have been, to be just such Christians as they found in 
the New Testament. That is, they aimed at primitice 
Christianity. It is not strange that they were not al- 
ways perfect. Rather, when we consider the circum- 
stances, the suprise is that they came so near the divine 
model. 

THESE CHURCHES AND THE PRIMITIVE CHURCHES. 

Having traced them from the apostles to Luther, and 
to the present century, we might pause to compare them, 
as a whole, with the apostolic churches. Many of them 
will compare most favorably with the best churches in 
the days of Paul and John ; and the mass of them had 
more Bible knowledge, and were nearer scriptural in 
faith and practice than were five out of the seven churches 
of Asia, or the church of God at Corinth, when Paul 
wrote them his first letter. The Lord bore with them, 
and he bore with these, making them his living witnes- 
ses, as they are to-day, and as they have been for all 
the ages. 

Those who may desire to investigate their history 
more fully will do well to consult Dr. Allexis, Perrin, 
and especially Jones, chapter 5, s$ct. 1, 2, 3, 4. 

A GENERAL SUMMARY. 

Passing entirely over Wicklifte, John Huss and Jer- 
ome, of Progue, in the thirteenth and fourteenth centu- 
ries, and much other matter which it would be conven- 
ient to give, let us distinctly note a few points which 
seem to be fully made out. 



356 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

I. The perpetuity of the true church. Independent of 
the Roman hierarchy, we have found true disciples — 
many of them — in all ages, and in different countries, 
from the days of the apostles to the present time. And 
noting the difference between the church and its organiza- 
tion, or officers, we thus trace the true church from the 
first Pentecost after the resurrection, to the present time. 
It is only by starting with an errroneous, or supersti- 
tious idea of the church, or by a lack of examination, 
that we fail to trace the church largely, and in the clear- 
est light. 

II. This perpetuity of the church is in fulfillment of the 
plainest prophecies. See Dan, ii : 44; iv : 3, 17; vii : 14, 
18, 22, 27. " Shall never be destroyed," and " his king- 
dom that which shall not be destroyed," must mean 
consecutive perpetuity. And so, Matt, xvi : 18 : " The 
gates of hades shall not prevail against it," the church, 
must mean constant continuance. This kingdom, or 
church, is to continue till it subdues all things, even 
death, and even then will not cease, but be " delivered up 
to God even the Father." 1 Cor. xv : 24; Phil, iii: 21. 
This final conquest of the world to Christ is a plain part 
of the prophecy of Daniel, in connection with the pas- 
sages referred to. So also Isa. Iv : 11. This part of the 
prophetic history of the church is yet in the future, but 
is as certain as the throne of the Universe. 

III. The church apostatized. This occurred during the 
first three centuries, in fulfillment of numerous and 
plain prophecies, and the faithful ones had to withdraw 
from the corrupt mass. This separation commenced 
in the second century, and has continued. It will be 
completed in the judgment. 

IV. The first manifest step towards apostasy was, 
in making one man "the bishop," or "the pastor," 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 357 

of a church; all other officers being only nominal. 

V. The second step was the diocesan bishopric; one 
bishop not satisfied with one church, sought control 
over the smaller churches near him. 

VI. Then came the metropolitan bishop, i. e., several 
dioceses united, in the interest of one bishop. 

VII. These had their councils and their correspondence. 
The councils of the bishops — not laymen — were at first 
advisory only ; but soon assumed authority ; and under 
the plea that they could avoid the strife, and other evils 
attending the election of church officers by those they 
called the laity, they assumed to appoint bishops in their 
councils. This put the government entirely in their 
hands, and made what has since been rightly called 
" The kingdom of the clergy." These bishops claimed di- 
vine right — authority immediately from God ; that they 
occupied the same place in the church of Christ that 
the Aaronic priests occupied in Mosaism; demanded 
tithes of the people, the exclusive administration of the 
ordinances, as the Jewish priests had the exclusive right 
of making offerings on the altar, etc. It was here that 
the pure dissented and withdrew in great numbers. 

VIII. Then came the union of church and state, un- 
der Constantine, the conformation of the government of 
the church to the government of the state, the exalta- 
tion of the clergy, the increase of their emoluments 
and power, and the general secularization of every thing 
in the church, and its ceasing to b,e the church of Christ. 

IX. This apostate party became a most bitter and 
cruel persecuting power. The true Christians never 
persecuted or rendered evil for evil. 

X. These humble and persecuted followers of Jesus 
we trace plainly, though often in tears and blood, down 
to the present time. 



35S LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

XL The unfriendliness of wealth, and worldly power 
and place to piety, purity and truth. Poverty and per- 
secution have proved the best soil for the seeds of life. 
Here, always, truth has yielded her best and most abun- 
dant fruits. 

XII. Accordingly, whenever these dissenters, or oth- 
er humble followers of Christ, have become numerous, 
wealthy and popular, they have become proud, vain, 
lukewarm and ungodly, about in the same proportion. 
Individual exceptions appear encouragingly ; but no 
community of disciples appears on the pages of history 
as an exception to this rule. Hence the emphasis given 
to the scriptural teaching: "Where your treasure is, 
there will your hearts be also." " The friendship of the 
world is enmity with God." "If any man is the friend 
of the world, he is the enemy of God." " All that will 
live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." This 
is now, and ever has been, a most unpopular sentiment, 
except with those who have drunk deeply of the Spirit 
of Christ, and are content to walk in the steps of Paul 
and the blessed Jesus. The Lord help us to see the true 
light, and to walk in it to the end ! 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

The Divine Government. — What God has to govern, the material 
universe, and man his crowning work, matter, mind and morals ; 
He has three elements, the natural, providential and miraculous ; 
definition of each ; attraction and gravitation, his ordinary gov- 
erning power deposited in nature; what the skeptic cannot 
know ; God still holds nature in his hand ; President Milligan ; 
how God governed man to Moses ; how he governed the Jews ; 
the priests and their duties, special judges ; the kingly govern- 
ment ; the Synagogue worship ; how he governs Christians ; the 
work of Evangelists; preach, preacher and preaching, not ruling, 
not pastors; scriptural organization — bishops and deacons in each 
congregation, and no general organization or confederation of the 
churches; qualifications of bishops and deacons ; their duties; 
contrasts between bishops and evangelists; answers to objections; 
other mistakes— Timothy and Titus not bishops; evangelists 
never remained permanently in one place ; Preachers subverted 
the divine government — historic proof ; what we must do to re- 
store it. 

I. WHAT GOD HAS TO GOVERN. 

James Shannon, President of Bacon College, and 
afterwards of Missouri University, and one of the ripest 
scholars, said, in an address on education, that it was 
well first to consider carefully " What we have to educate." 

A. Campbell, in a published discourse on " The Riches 
of Christ," presented " the material universe," as a part 
of " the riches of our adorable Redeemer and Lord," 
and then referred to man, so " fearfully and wonderfully 
made," as more valuable and honorable than all his crea- 
tion besides. 

Note — 1. The fact that God made man in his own 
image and likeness. 2. That he gave his only Son to 
die for his redemption. Since nothing else was honored 

(359) 



360 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

with the divine image, and since God never gives too 
much for anything, the conclusion is hoth easy and 
plain, that man was and is, in the divine estimation, 
more valuable and honorable than all the rest of crea- 
tion. Man was made to be the companion and associate 
of God ; and, at the beginning, the Creator visited him 
daily, in the garden of Eden, and conversed with him 
as a man converses with .his friend. And since the fall, 
•' His delight is still with the children of men." From 
them, when they walk uprightly, he "withholdeth no 
good thing." " The heaven, even the heavens are the 
Lord's ; but the earth hath he given to the children of 
men." Adam was the richest of men. He was owner 
and ruler of all he surveyed; and though he sinned, 
and forfeited all claim to his inheritance, there is pro- 
vided for him, in Christ, riches, glory, honor and im- 
mortality, as far surpassing all of this world, as heaven 
surpasses earth. 

Still, God's material universe is not to be despised or 
overlooked. The devout astronomer looks far beyond 
millions of suns, with their planets and satellites; far 
beyond all luminous and non-luminous bodies ; far be- 
yond the nebulae of the milky way, into fathomless and 
infinite space — space as superior to the grasp of the 
finite mind as God is to an atom ! And high and lifted 
up above all expression, is God — " blessed forever 
more ! " 

And while we may feel more interested in that which 
pertains, if possible, more directly to man, we may do 
well to consider — 

II. HOW GOD GOVERNS MATTER IN ALL HIS MATERIAL UNI- 
VERSE. 

In the divine administration there are three elements — 
the natural, the providential and the miraculous, each of 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 361 

which we need to study profoundly. And as we cannot 
understand either of these elements separated from the 
others, let us pause to note a few things concerning 
each. 

That element by which God governs in nature is a 
" power which he himself actually imparted to all created 
things for the good and government of all. He has 
made every atom of matter a depository of his power, 
so that all. bodies now actually attract and influence each 
other, directly as their quantities of matter, and inverse- 
ly as the squares of their distances. All the powers of 
nature are but imparted powers." (Milligan.) 

" There is no attracting power in matter, except as 
God has put it there. It did not originate with matter 
or from matter. God imparted it to matter, just as he 
imparted to the grain of corn the germ of life, or power 
to reproduce itself." What we call attraction is a power, 
which God has imparted to and keeps treasured up in 
matter, for the regulation, government and harmony of 
the whole material universe. These natural forces, or 
powers, which God has imparted to and deposited in 
matter and in mind are what the mathematician would 
call " the constant quantities," by means of which he 
brings about many results, and works out many prob- 
lems in his moral as well as in his physical government. 
Having no better terms, we speak of attraction, cohesion, 
of gravitation, etc., certainly, without understanding 
these fully 4 perhaps without considering that the Crea- 
tor has deposited these powers in matter and in mind, 
to a large extent, as a means of carrying on his govern- 
ment. So has he put death in disobedience, and life in 
obedience. So, also, has he made his gospel his power 
to convert and save sinners. And, though this is not 
philosophically explained, it is no marvel, since he has 



362 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

shown us that there was creative power in his word. He 
had only to say — "let there be light and there was 
light ;" and he has shown us there is resurrection power 
in his word, by saying to Lazarus : " Come forth," and 
he came. He will only have to call the sleeping millions, 
and they will come ; and " the sea will give up the dead 
that are in it." He will, in the final judgment, only 
^ave to say, depart, and the condemned will depart. 

THE SKEPTIC CANNOT TELL I 

1. How matter came into being, or the " Cosmic Vapor," 
from which he says it was evolved ; or 

2. How matter was organized — whether by " fortuitous 
concurrence of atoms," or by natural force, before there 
was any nature or natural law, or by some other unim- 
aginable, but assumed power ; or 

3. How life was imparted to matter. He can only as- 
sume spontaneous generation, not only without evidence, 
but directly against science and against facts ; or, 

4. How man became possessed of mind, and of moral 
and spiritual power. No other compound of matter has 
these as man has, and no skeptic can explain how he got 
them. 

Let not the skeptic complain, therefore, because we do 
not explain attraction, the creating, converting and res- 
urrecting power in his word ; the life and reproducing 
power of seeds, or the existence of God and of spirits, 
etc. These are all facts, none the less certain, whether 
we understand or believe them or not. "What would be 
thought of the rationality of one who would deny the 
shining of the sun, or what we call light ? What would 
we say of one who should contend that there is nothing 
beyond the reach of his vision, or in the thick darkness, 
because he cannot see it? And yet this is just what 
atheists and skeptics are doing. There was a time when 



LIVE REL1GI0 US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 363 

we did not see or understand what we call nature, as we 
do now ; and we are looking forward to a time when we 
shall survey and comprehend God's spiritual universe 
far more thoroughly and accurately. There was a time 
when the most intelligent of God's creatures, like the 
heathens now, did not know the Creator. "Why may 
we not look forward to a fuller and more exact under- 
standing of the great first cause? 

And it is to he feared that many persons see nothing 
beyond what is called natural force, or the result of nat- 
ural law — that is, no providential element in the divine 
government, whether this is because they have no eyes 
to see, or for some other reason. Nor is it easy to un- 
derstand this. Still we may, in a measure, at least, see 
the hand of God in what we call providence. Whether 
we call this "impressed power,'' as President Milligan 
does (see Reason and Revelation, pp. 277, 278 and 279,) 
or by any other name, there is much all around us that 
is not common to nature. Take a single instance : " The 
earth is the same ; its amount of water, and caloric, and 
electricity is the same ; its orbit and its revolutions are 
the same ; and its relations to the sun, moon and stars 
are very nearly the same during each successive cycle. 
And, reasoning, therefore, from second causes, or im- 
parted forces alone, we would, of course, be led to infer, 
that the resulting phenomena of each successive year would be 
ever and invariably the same; that during, and every re- 
turn of the four seasons of the year, we should have the 
same amount of rain, and snow, and hail, and vapor, 
and cold, and heat, and storm, and tempest. But our 
experience gives us a very different result. It proves 
to us that these phenomena are very uncertain, and 
that it is really much easier to estimate all the eclipses 
that will occur in the next twelve months than to deter- 



364 LIVE 'RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

mine, with certainty, the kind of weather we will have 
in the next twelve days." (P. Milligan.) These are 
facts, and to the mere naturalist are inexplicable. To 
the intelligent Christian, they are plain enough. We 
might cite many cases in the Bible, not properly mirac- 
ulous, yet not to be accounted for on what we call nat- 
ural principles. Perhaps we are all too much inclined 
to ascribe these to miraculous 'power ; and so get rid of 
all special providences, since it is understood that we 
have not now, generally, if ever, any direct display of 
miraculous power. These cases are in the Bible, and 
there was a special power to cause tbem. Now, if that 
power was not miraculous, and if the powers of nature 
were wholly insufficient to produce them, we must ad- 
mit this providential element in the divine govern- 
ment. 

(a) Natural power is that ordinary force which God 
deposited in nature for common or ordinary purposes. 
It remains in matter as a permanent factor. 

(b) Providential power is that additional force which 
God puts into nature for the accomplishment of special 
purposes, as when he gives one spirit more power over 
an other than is common or natural, or when he sends 
angels to answer prayers. 

(c) Miraculous power is a force independent of natural 
power and means, as in the creation, before there' was 
any nature, or any natural power ; as when the Jordan 
rolled back, and the sun and moon stood still, and the 
shadow went back ten degrees on the dial of Ahaz. 
This force came not by or through nature, nor was it 
according to nature. He reversed nature, and worked in- 
dependently of all natural laws. Providential force is 
put forth through nature, and according to natural law. 

A father provides ordinary clothing for his son ; but 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 365 

in unusually cold weather, lie provides more — showing 
that he is not absent or indifferent ; but this father never 
makes his son entirely insensible to cold, as Shadrack, 
Meshach and Abednego were to the heat in the terrible 
furnace. This was, in their case, and would be now, 
not natural, and not merely providential, but miraculous, 
reversing natural force. 

And God is the most economical of all capitalists ! 
When natural power is sufficient he never uses provi- 
dential power ; and when natural and providential pow- 
ers are sufficient, he never uses miraculous power. But 
God lives, and rules, and governs to-day as in the days 
of old, and whatever is necessary for the good of his servants, 
he is ready to do directly or indirectly. He has not, 
like Samson, lost his miraculous power, but is not using 
it ordinarily, because it is not ordinarily needed. It will 
be realized in the resurrection, if not before. 

Perhaps it may be said that man has no control over 
the miraculous power of God! yet, he has wonderful 
control over the natural and providential power. God's 
servants pray, and angels come. This is neither mirac- 
ulous nor natural ; it is providential ; though angels may 
perform miracles when they come, as in the shaking of 
the foundations of the prison, and the loosing of the 
bands of the captive servants of God. " The effectual 
and fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." 
" You have not, because you ask not." " Ask and you 
shall receive, that your joy maybe full." 

Xo one with a proper definition of a miracle before 
him, will say that the simple coming of angels is mirac- 
ulous. They came to carry poor Lazarus home ; as a 
benevolent man would conduct a blind or lame man 
home. Nor is the work of angels natural. It is beyond 
the realm of nature, and must therefore be pro vi den- 



366 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

tial, except as they perform miracles when they come. 

God's angel brought an answer to Daniel's prayer — a 
message of explanation. God's angel spoke to the 
prophets. " The angel of the Lord spoke nnto Philip " 
just as a man speaks to his fellow man. There is no 
miraculous element in this, any more than when man 
speaks to man. Still, it was not natural. Angels be- 
long not to what we call nature. When Herod was 
smitten by an angel, and eaten of worms, we might say 
the angel exercised miraculous power, but not when he 
simply acts the part of a messenger. 

Note, therefore, these two reasons in favor of special 
providences, distinct from the natural aud the mirac- 
ulous : 

1. That the results in nature are by no means uniform 
as they would necessarily be if left entirely to natural 
law. 

2. That God sends angels, in answer to the prayers of 
his servants, to do for them many things beyond all that 
nature could do, and which are still not miraculous. 

Our mistake has been in confounding things that dif- 
fer, and in concluding that angels always use miraculous 
power because they sometimes did anciently. 

III. HOW GOD GOVERNS MAN. 

Plain Bible statements show the correctness of the 
principles here laid down. God made man. This was 
miraculous. Then he subjected him to the laws of na- 
ture, ordinarily. That is, he was required to get out 
of nature all God had deposited in it for his good. 
Hence he must dress and keep the garden, etc. And 
God put the fear of man upon every beast, etc. He im- 
pressed every beast, in some unexplained way, with the 
feeling that man was his master. Otherwise man might 
have been destroyed ; for he was not the Samson of the 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 367 

animal kingdom. This exercise of divine governing 
power over the beasts was clearly not natural, and yet it 
does not appear that we need to regard it as mirac- 
ulous. 

God, also, somehow, impressed the required number of 
beasts to go into the ark. And God cursed the earth 
for man's sake, when he sinned. He took away some 
power he had put in nature, and put there something to 
cause the earth to bring forth briers and thorns. So 
that nature is not in all respects what she was. But 
man was subjected to the ordinary laws of nature, as a 
rational creature — one so much like God that he may be 
reasoned with, and largely controlled by motives — by 
fear and by love, as well as by his animal wants. God 
told him what he must do, and what he must not do, 
and the effects of obedience and disobedience. Adam 
and Eve never did plead that they did not understand 
Him. They sinned, and were, no doubt, in despair, till 
God gave some ground for hope through the seed of the 
woman. But He punished sin. So, He continued to 
do, as in the case of Cain. And he blessed obedience, 
as in the case of Abel. So in the preservation of Noah 
and his family, in the destruction of the rest of the 
world, in the destruction of the tower of Babel ; in 
the twelve tribes of Israel, their deliverance, and the de- 
struction of Pharaoh and his hosts. How wonderful 
that, after all, man did not better understand his maker ! 
How passing wonderful that Jie is, even till to-day, 
largely blind to his own best interests, even for this 
life. 

god's first system of worship. 

Until the law of Moses, the plan for government is 
not fully given to us ; nor is the manner of worship. It 
is evident, however, that God gave commands and in- 



368 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

structions as to worship, accompanied by promises and 
tlireatenings. Otherwise it could not be said they of- 
fered in faith, or that they walked with God. 

Sacrifices were offered very soon after the fall, and 
continuously, with faith and with acceptance. Hence 
the conclusion that God directed these. And prayers 
were offered and heard. But beyond these we read of 
no formal worship for 2,500 years. There is no evi- 
dence that they observed any holy day, or that they had 
any special meetings for worship. Altars are named 
about four hundred times, but the first forma] altar we 
read of was by Noah. A. M. 1650, and, like that of 
Jacob, it was, no doubt, a very crude affair. Parents 
governed their families, and patriarchs their tribes, or 
descendants, as long as they lived. 

It would seem that God was not favorable to confed- 
erated governments, and that men were. God's people 
had nothing of the kind, while others, all around, had 
them. Pharaoh was a mighty king long before Israel 
was a nation at all. And when Israel chose a king, it 
was in order to be like the nations around them. 

IV. HOW HE GOVERNED THE JEWS. 

Let it be understood that, till Moses, there was no di- 
vine government beyond the family, and such as were 
of a natural and providential character. God's provis- 
ion was that the whole race should live as brethren, and 
he would give them a fair chance to prove whether they 
would do so or not. 

" The law was added because of transgression, till the . 
seed should come to whom the promise was made." 1 
Gal. iii : 19. And then, may we not say, the original 
form, or, at least, principle of government, should be 
restored, the redeemed constituting one great brother- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 369 

hood, without any formal confederation or government 
beyond the family or congregation, as one part of the 
great family of God ? 

The government was changed in the days of Moses, 
" owing to the intractableness of their hearts," and it is 
important for us to observe what the government was 
under Moses. It has three parts: 1. The provisional. 
2. The permanent, or that which was designed to be 
permanent. 3. The arbitrary usurpation of the people, 
rejecting God, and choosing a king. 

The primary was unavoidable and indefinite. Moses 
did everything. The first approach to organization was 
the appointment of seventy elders. These were to be 
" able men, and rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, 
rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens." Ex. xviii : 13-21. 
These able men and rulers were to be chosen from anions 
" those known to be of the elders of the people." They 
were not officers or rulers simply because they ware 
elders and able men, and yet they were elders and always 
recognized as elders. Deut. xi : 16. There were elders 
of Israel in Egypt, but they were not officers. See Gen. 
1: 7; Ex. iii: 16-18; xii : 27; xvii : 5, 6; xviii: 12; 
xix : 7 ; xxiv : 1, 9, 14 ; Lev. iv : 14 ; ix : 1 ; Num. xi : 
16, 24, 25, etc. These references show that they were 
to lay their hands on Aaron and his sons, and were hon- 
ored and consulted, but they were not officers, except as 
they were especially chosen and set apart to office. 
Joshua succeeded Moses by special appointment; and 
afterwards God raised up special prophets and deliverers, 
as Samuel, Eli, etc. But the regular divine government 
for the Jews under Moses, (Num. xi : 16-25) consisted 
of the priests, seventy selected elders, and the rulers of 
the thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Whether the 
latter were necessarily of the seventy is not so clear. 
24 



370 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

The law which they were to see carried out was formu- 
lated afterwards at Mt. Sinai. This government lasted 
about four hundred and fifty years, and under it the 
Jews prospered as no nation ever had before. When 
they became strong, proud and worldly, they were not 
content with God's government, though it had done so 
much for them. They desired to be like the nations 
around them, and demanded a king. God yielded to 
this demand, gave them " a king in his anger, and took 
him away in his wrath." This corrupted form of gov- 
ernment, like other devices of men, never did so well as 
did that plain, simple form, given by the Lord himself. 
It was a rejection of the Lord, and could not have so 
much of his favor. 

THE PRIESTS AND THEIR DUTIES. 

The tribe of Levi were priests. There were three 
classes, viz. 1. The high priest. 2. Their sons, the 
daily priests. 3. The rest of the Levites of the required 
age, and qualifications, as aids and servants about the 
tabernacle. And the priests had three functions to per- 
form : 1. To judge the people. 2. To teach them. 3. 
To offer sacrifices for them, and for themselves. See 
Dent, xvii: 18-22; xxi : 5; xxxiii : 9, 10; Ezek. xliv : 
24 ; Lev. xvi : 2 ; xxi : 13, 22. Under the Patriarchal 
government every father was priest, teacher and judge 
of his own family and tribe. Now, under Moses and in 
the tabernacle, these functions were allotted to the tribe 
of Levi and the appointed judges and rulers. 

The seventy wise men, selected from among the eld- 
ers, and made judges and rulers, were not priests, neces- 
sarily, if at all. They offered no sacrifices. Yet they 
were, like the priests, judges. And the priests, like 
them, might be called rulers. But the priests offered 
sacrifices and were the teachers in Israel. Their co-opera- 



LIVE REL1GI0 US ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 371 

tion and the manner of their proceeding, so far as both 
judged and ruled, we do not read. Certainly there was 
no conflict. One was doubtless secular, the other, sacred 
or religious. The duties of the seventy judges and 
rulers, pertained more to the affairs of this world ; the 
duties of the priests, were to the spirit world. There is 
good and sufficient reason for the separation, in the fact 
that God knew some of the people would not be relig- 
ious, and there is equally good reason for blending or 
uniting them, in the fact that all ought to be religious. 
But we stop where the record stops, except offering 
these mere suggestions, for we seek not to be wise above 
what is written. 

THE SPECIAL JUDGES. 

After Joshua, we read of sixteen judges, viz., 1. 
Othniel ; 2. Ehud ; 3. Shamgar ; 4. Deborah ; 5. Barak ; 
6. Gideon ; 7. Tola ; 8. Jair ; 9. Jeptha ; 10. Obzan ; 
11. Elon; 12. Abdon ; 13. Samson; 14. Eli; 15. Samuel; 
16. His sons, Joel and Abiah. Twice, under Othinel 
and Ehud, all Israel joined in wars for deliverance from 
their oppressors. But Deborah gathered only five 
tribes, Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh, Zebulon, and 
Issachar. Gideon ruled only four tribes, Manasseh, 
Asher, Zebulon and jSTaphtali. Jeptha had only 
Gilead and Manasseh. Samson ruled only Judah and 
Dan. Generally " every man did that which was right 
in his own eyes." For they had largely ceased to carry 
out the divine government, and 'hence their subjection 
to their enemies and the neccessity for these special de- 
liverers and judges. Had the divine government been 
carried out they might have had none of these deliver- 
ers. And we need to observe the difference between the 
regular government, and the special deliverers and 
judges here named. 



372 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

THE KINGLY GOVERNMENT. 

After these special judges for more than 400 years, 
came the kings. And it should be kept in mind, that it 
was not God's provision or will that they should have a 
king. It was evil in the eyes of Samuel, and is em- 
phatically called rejecting God! Seel Sam. viii : 6,7; 
Ex. xvi : 8; 1 Sam. x: 19; xii : 17-19; Hosea xiii : 10, 
11 ; Luke x : 16 ; Rom. xiii : 2. Thus we see that to 
refuse God's government, or desire a change or an addi- 
tion to it, or an alteration of it, is rejecting God. 

The fact that God bore with this, is evidence of his 
great mercy, not of the wisdom or propriety of the 
kingly government. It was the best the people would 
do for themselves, and God bore with it. So he bore 
with other errors, as: 1. Divorces; 2. Polygamy; 3. 
Instrumental music, introduced by David ; 4. A great 
deal of cruelty in their wars, etc. We need to observe 
the important and obvious difference between what God 
appointed and what he tolerated or bore with, " on ac- 
count of the intractableness of their dispositions." See 
Matt, xix : 8. The fact that God superintended the se- 
lection of kings, the use of instruments in the temple 
worship, etc., must not be taken as evidence of his ap- 
proval. He would make the best of their wilfulness for 
their good. This is all. 

Beginning about B. C. 1095, and continuing 509 years, 
to the captivity and destruction of Jerusalem, we count 
twenty-three kings of Judah, besides the twenty-one 
kings of Israel. Then for almost 600 years, till the com- 
ing of the promised seed, the Jews were ruled by theirj 
enemies, as part of the punishment for their rejecting^ 
the divine government, When we consider the typical 
nature of the divine government under Moses, we must 
go back to Moses and to the true tabernacle worship and 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 373 

service, not to the temple or the kingly government. 
Failing to do this many have gone wildly astray. In 
front of the tabernacle was a large space for all the peo- 
ple in their three annual feasts, their new moons and 
their Sabbath worship. Some writers say that in front 
of the temple was more than thirty acres of land, for 
the accommodation of the masses. While the priests 
occupied the holy place and the altars, the mass of the 
people worshiped here, and listened to the reading of 
the laws, etc. This and their family worship and ser- 
vice, embrace all we read of their worship, teaching and 
government, till we come to, 

THE SYNAGOGUE WORSHIP. 

" Synagogue — ' Sunagoge,' means literally an assem- 
bly or congregation, but by metonomy, was eventually 
used for the place of assembling; in the same way 
that ekkleesia, church, which means literally a calling to- 
gether, ot convocation, signifies, at the present time, the 
place of convocation." In the New Testament syna- 
gogue means the house of worship. 

We read of no synagogues under Moses, the judges 
or the kings. They had the tabernacle, and then the 
temple, under the kings ; and their family government ; 
the Patriarchal being largely continued. See Deut. iv : 
9,10; vi : 7; xi : 18, 19. Every family had morning 
and evening lessons, and, we presume, worship, the head 
of the family acting as teacher and priest; and on the 
Sabbath day they largely heard the law read at the 
" Tent of meeting" (Revision.) But " during the Baby- 
lonish captivity, the Jews, who were then deprived of 
their customary religious privileges, were wont to col- 
lect around some prophet, or other pious man, who 
taught them and their children, exhorted them to good 



374 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

conduct, and read out of the sacred books. Ezek. xiv : 
1 ; Dan. vi : 11 : Neh. viii : 18. These assemblies, in 
process of time, were fixed to certain places, and a reg- 
ular order was observed in them. Such appears to be 
the origin of synagogues." — Stackhouse. 

From the return of the Jews from Babylon, they in- 
creased, and were found in great numbers in the days of 
the Savior. Jerusalem, it is said, had four hundred and 
sixty, or more ; and wherever there were a few Jews, 
(not less than ten) they builded a synagogue. The altar 
and sacrifices were confined to the temple ; but they met 
every Sabbath day in their several synagogues, for wor- 
ship, for reading the law, the psalms and the prophets, 
praise, prayer and exhortation. Every synagogue had its 
elders, one of which is called — "The chief ruler of the 
synagogue." And it is important in this investigation, 
for us to observe the fact that, Jesus and the apostles 
recognized these synagogues, so far as to use them for 
teaching the people. Nor do we read of their condem- 
nation, though Jesus severely condemned many prac- 
tices in them. 

These synagogues were patterns for congregations of 
Christians. Besides their elders and their chief ruler, 
(one of the elders,) they had their Almoners, who col- 
lected alms and distributed to the poor; answering to 
the work of those we call deacons, or helpers, and serv- 
ants of the churches. They sang, also, and had their 
regular Sabbath day collections. The Greeks and Ro- 
mans, in their idol temples, had very much the same 
organizations. Hence, we read : 

" This common purpose (material, spiritual and social advantages,) 
of all these societies, Jewish, Pagan and Christian, required the same 
kind of officers to administer their affairs ; and we find certain officers 
in all these societies, designated by the same titles— presbuteroi or 
episkopoi. 



ed 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 



• Frequently an entire synagogue, we have reason to believe, adopt- 
ed the belief, and retained the same organization, simply modifying 
their worship. The same may be true of some of the pagan, religious 
societies ; the members having accepted the new teaching, retained 
their orgrnization, but changed their worship. The apostles had been 
brought up in this synagogue habit, and knew no other form of or- 
ganization. The synagogue was an expression of personal independ- 
ence and accountability. The temple was national and in its worship 
the individual was largely lost in the nation. The synagogue was its 
very opposite. Each one was independent of all others. Among the 
Jews and cotemporary nations, respect for age was inculcated as a 
fundamental principle of society. The young were required to honor 
the aged. Wisdom was symbolized by age. The aged were looked to 
for advice. Hence the aged men were the counselors of the nation. 
In these various societies, the old men were the governing body ; they 
tried cases and enforced discipline. The episkopoi were selected from 
the presbuteroi. — Dr. Herndon. 

The Jewish temple had instrumental music, and as 
far as we are ahle to learn, all the idolatrous societies 
among the Greeks and Romans had instrumental music, 
as did their theaters and their hachanalian feasts. But 
there is no evidence that the synagogues ever had any 
music but what was made by the human voice. In this, 
they were like the Jews in the first four hundred and 
fifty years of their nationality, and till they rejected God 
and demanded a king. So, too, the early churches, or 
congregations, in adopting the synagogue organization 
and worship, had no music but that made by the human 
voice attuned by purified hearts. This continued for 
over seven hundred years, and till the churches were 
greatly corrupted. Indeed many other most ruinous 
departures and corruptions came in long before this. 
And it would be safe to conclude that, instrumental 
music has never entered any worshiping assembly till 
after other ruinous errors found a place there. Nor can 
it be entertained unless other corrupting humanisms 
have gone before to prepare a way and a place for it. 



376 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

V. HOW HE GOVERNS CHRISTIANS. 

Here, as in the law of Moses, we find first a provisional 
government, as a necessity. At first the apostles did 
everything. Then miraculous helps were furnished. 
" And he gave some [to be] apostles, and some, [to be] 
prophets ; and some, evangelists ; and some, pastors 
and [to be] teachers ; for the perfecting of the saints, 
for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body 
of Christ, till we all come in (or unto) the unity of the 
faith, etc. Eph. iv : 11, 12, 13. " And God hath set 
some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, 
thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of heal- 
ing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues." 1 Cor. 
xii : 28. Then 1 Cor. xiii : 8, tells us that all these, so 
far as they were miraculous, were to cease. They w T ere 
given for specific purpose, " the perfecting of the saints 
for the work of the ministry ;" and for a given time. 
" Till w r e all come unto the unity of the faith," etc. 
" Charity never faileth, but whether there be prophecies 
they shall fail ;" [that is, miraculous prophesying w T ill 
cease] "whether there be tongues they shall cease; 
[that is, people should cease to speak in languages they 
never learned ;] " whether there be knowledge it shall 
vanish away," that is people shall cease to receive knowl- 
edge miraculously. The evident meaning is, that mir- 
aculous gifts in the church would cease — " wmen that 
which is perfect is come." " Then shall I know even as 
also I am known." Each disciple would know the 
whole. " When that which is perfect is come, then that 
which in part shall be done away," or cease. This is 
" the more excellent way." We look, then, to the per- 
fected system, and to the organization and government 
in its perfected state, this side of miraculous gifts. 

The regular organization grew up in the midst of the 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 377 

primary, so that, when it was complete, the first would 
naturally cease. 

They appointed one to take the place of Judas, and 
then, in the church, we find the apostles teaching the 
multitude to select certain men to attend to tables and 
the poor, and giving their qualifications. The multitude 
" chose (exelexanto) seven men," and the apostles ap- 
pointed, or ordained {katasteesomen) them. Acts vi : 3, 
5. There are two very distinct words used — one mean- 
ing to choose, which the multitude did ; the other, to 
appoint, or ordain, which the apostles did, by praying 
and the laying on of hands. We call these seven select- 
ed and appointed men, deacons or servants, helpers. 
They were a special class, selected for a special work, 
which is permanent in its nature, and not miraculous. 
Then, in Acts xiv: 23, we read that the apostles ap- 
pointed elders for them in every congregation, the mult- 
itude, we presume, having selected them as before. So 
in Acts xx : 28, we read of a plurality of overseers in 
the congregation at Ephesus. And in Phil, i : 1, Paul 
addresses the bishops and deacons. No other classes. 
So in 1 Timothy, 3rd chapter he describes only bishops 
and deacons for Timothy to appoint in Ephesus. [This 
was the re-organization of the church in Ephesus, in A. 
D. 65 ; for in 60, he called the elders to him from Eph- 
esus to Miletus, whom he recognized as overseers or bish- 
ops ; and he, in the same address, foretells their disrup- 
tion. See Acts xx : 28.] 

And Paul (in 65,) having left Titus in Crete, to " set in 
order the things wanting," (Titus i: 5) describes only 
the bishops. 

These, then, were all that were wanting, or lacking, 
else the deacons were included in the episkopoi. In 
either case, and from the entire evidence given us, we 



378 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

read of only overseers and deacons, a plurality of each 
in every congregation. If these were not " the things 
wanting," and all that was wanting, then Paul must have 
been wonderfully mistaken. And the lack, if there was 
any, cannot be supplied now, since the directing power 
is absent and never to return. Here, then, is the perma- 
nent organization of the congregations. 

For the church as a whole, no organization is provid- 
ed. And this fact cannot be too strongly emphasized. 
When the Christian system was fully developed, and the 
apostles and all extraordinary workers, or officers and 
gifts are gone, we have left only the congregational or- 
ganization. Not one word is said, not one intimation is 
given, of a confederation of the congregations, or of any 
society or organization for the spread of the gospel, or 
anything else, except the churches. And if there had 
been a necessity for such things they were still " lack- 
ing " many things, and the divine system was not com- 
plete ! If these things were not among the things want- 
ing then, if only the bishops and deacons were included 
in the things wanting then, making complete congrega- 
tional organization, how is it that we need — if we do 
need — 

(a) A preacher in each church, besides the bishops and 
deacons, whom we call " the pastor? " 

(b) Some sort of congregational confederation, or or- 
ganization ; properly an ecclesiasticism, which must 
judge and manage the affairs of the disciples generally. 

(c) A general missionary society, state and county 
missionary societies, foreign missionary societies, home 
missionary societies, woman's missionary societies, 
temperance societies, Odd Fellows and Masonic socie- 
ties, societies for the suppression of vice and obscene 
literature, and some two or three dozen more societies, 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 379 

to do the work of the church ? Yes, to do tlie work which 
the Lord appointed the church to do ! Why this neces- 
sity now ? 

If these are really improvements and aids, as their 
friends claim, then the divine system was never com- 
pleted till the present century ; nor is it yet complete for 
new societies are continually coming to the front, and 
demanding recognition and aid from the church, and the 
church aids them instead of aiding herself! And gives 
them credit instead of honoring herself. 

These societies were just as practicable in the days of 
the apostles, and surely just as much needed, as now. 
Many things they could not have, as the use of steam rail- 
roads, the printing-press, etc., but these societies, instru- 
mental music, etc., they could have had. If they are 
really and truly helps now, they would have been helps 
then. But if they would have been helps then, or can 
be now, or ever, and had the prime ministers of Jesus 
Christ failed to supply them, or to use them when they 
were at hand, then it is not true that the man of God is, 
and by the holy scriptures, " thoroughly furnished to all 
good works ; " nor is it true that the Christians at Colosse 
were " complete in Christ." They must have lacked 
the one man pastor, the general organization of the 
church, a church extension fund, and these several so- 
cieties, etc. And if, in these and other similar script- 
ures, the apostles were mistaken, how can we prove that 
they were not mistaken in other matters ? If James 
" perfect law of liberty " was, after all, not perfect, how 
can we rely on his other statements ? If all these mod- 
ern inventions were, or are necessary, and were not pro- 
vided, or even once alluded to in God's system, how do 
we know that other and even greater lacks will not yet 
be found ? 



380 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

The apostles provided no creed or discipline but the 
holy scriptures, and we have been claiming that we need 
none, however it may seem to men, just because the 
divine system does not furnish one. Is this argument 
to be abandoned? It has been said that, if even a 
synopsis of the divine system had been necessary or prop- 
er, Paul was the very man for the work, or Peter, or 
James, or John, or all of them together; and that this 
fact, indisputable and beyond question, should be taken 
as a divine demonstration that no such thing was or 
could be necessary, further than we read in the only 
perfect book. And this argument applies in all its force 
to the organization of the church, and the doing of all 
the work entrusted to the church. The fact that no 
more was given is proof that no more was needed. 
And hence, to add to these is to add to the word of God. 
It is to question the truth of the Bible, the inspiration 
of the apostles, and the fullness of Christ; and so to 
throw doubt, and create distrust of the entire system ! 
It is to do the work of enemies, not of friends to the 
Bible ; to aid infidelity, not faith in Christ ; to hinder, 
not to forward the gospel of Christ. It is to encumber 
the old ship of Zion with gilded trash, formalized hu- 
manism ; to place as sails and rigging, the societies of 
men and their richly painted, but paper wings, etc., to 
catch the popular breeze, and supercede the gospel under 
the plea of aiding it ! 

What a pity the apostles were such old fogies ! The 
gospel might have conquered the world for Christ, 
long ago ! What a pity some of our sisters had not 
lived earlier, if not in apostolic times, to aid the good 
work by sisters' missionary societies ! Oh ! if the apos- 
tles had provided all these societies and several varying 
creeds, on which might have been builded as many evange- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 381 

Heal denominations, each to be recognized by the others, 
so that all classes might be accommodated, and we could 
scripturally include as Christians all denominations of 
Protestants, and then step over and embrace the pope 
and his party, as recent missionary reports do ! What a 
mistake to call the church of Rome the man of sin, 
and anti-christ. 

We have recently from the office of the " Foreign 
Christian Missionary Society," Cincinnati, Ohio, A. Mc- 
Lean, corresponding secretary, a statistical document, 
which clearly recognizes and names Baptists, Method- 
ists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, etc., as Christians, and 
afterwards sums up : 

Protestant Christians 116,000,000 ; non-Protestant 
Christians, 275,000,000; Jews, 8,000,000; Mohamme- 
dans, 170,000,000 ; pagans, 865,000,000. 

These " ?io?i-Protestant" Christians, can be none other 
than the Romish church party. Pause here to note, 
that there may be no misunderstanding or doubt as to 
the full recognition of all Protestant sects, and of the 
Romish church as well, as Christians ! All on an equal- 
ity — all Christians in the same sense and degree, accord- 
ing to this report ! All — Protestant and non-Protestant 
Christians ! Where is anti-christ, then ? What a pity 
the apostles denounced all sects and distinctly called the 
Popish party the man of sin, anti-christ, the enemy of 
God and man ! Either they were wrong in denouncing 
and opposing them, or we are wrong in recognizing and 
encouraging them ! 

THE WORK OF EVANGELISTS. 

In Eph. iv : 11, the evangelists are placed among the 
special and temporary gifts to the church. But so also 
are " pastors and teachers. These we find among the 



382 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

permanent officers of the church, however. The refer- 
ence in Acts xxi : 8 is to one of the seven, who is called 
" Philip, the evangelist." 

Philip is called " the evangelist " because of his great 
and successful work in the gospel ; just as we read of 
" Sam Jones, the Georgia evangelist ;" " Moody the 
evangelist," etc. In 2 Tim. iv : 5, Paul certainly in- 
tends to define the limit of the work of an evangelist, 
which was to set in order the congregation in Ephesus, 
as Titus was to do in the congregations in Crete. His 
first work, according to the meaning of his name, was 
to preach the gospel, and bring believers into the church 
by baptism ; his second, and last work was, to " set in 
order the churches." He never was a congregational 
officer, much less was he ever a "pastor" or ruler. 
Hence, when Timothy had set the church in order, he 
was to leave. He was not needed there any longer. 
The bishops were the rulers, the pastors and teachers of 
the church. But it may be asked whether we have not 
some other word equal to, or resembling evangelist. We 
have 

Preach, preacher and preaching about one hundred and 
fifty times. And these English words represent the He- 
brew basar,- gara, goheleth, geriah, and the Greek diag- 
gelloo, dialegomai, euaggelidzoo, kataggello, kerusso, laleo, 
prokerussoo, pleroo, kerux, kerugma, and three other varia- 
tions of these words. (See Young's Concordance.) Our 
translators render these, "To bring or tell good tid- 
ings ;" " to tell thoroughly ;" " to cry or proclaim as a 
herald ; " " to talk, discourse ;" " a caller, congregator, 
preacher;" ' cry, proclamation, preaching." Note the 
meaning of all the words used in connection with evan- 
gelists, preachers, and preaching, and the fact that they 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 383 

do not convey the idea of ruling or especial teach- 
ing on the part of pastors. 

Evangelists and preachers, as such, were not, are not, 
and cannot be either rulers or pastors ! And yet these 
are the offices or works assumed by them. They try to 
convince the congregations that they are not only teach- 
ers and rulers, but the especial and chief teachers and 
rulers, or pastors ! For this they have no more reason 
or scripture than has the pope for his claim of suprem- 
acy and infallibility. They have absolutely nothing at 
all to stand on ! 

True, in a secondary or third sense, reading Moses is 
called preaching Moses. Acts xv : 21. It was a procla- 
mation of the law of God by Moses. So, too, it is said 
all the ancient Christians were preachers. Acts viii : 1-4. 
" They went everywhere preaching the word." But no 
one understands that this means such preachers and 
preaching as we are now considering. In these investi- 
gations we use words in their primary and literal sense. 
In this sense, the ancient evangelists and preachers were 
not teachers or rulers. They have the wrong names. 
Other words are used for rulers and teachers, episkopos, 
poimeen and didaskalos. 

The fact that there is some teaching in preaching, and 
something like preaching in teaching, alters not the 
case. This was unavoidable. But different words were 
used, and they convey essentially different ideas. Thus, 
in the great commission, the command was: " Go disci- 
pie (matheteusate) all nations;" which was done by 
preaching the gospel (karuxate to euangelion,) and baptiz- 
ing believers. Then came the teaching (didaskontes) of 
all the things given them in charge to teach (t. e.,) all 
their Christian duties. Here we have the right word 
for this important work ; and the episkopoi, not the 



384 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

evangelists, are the permanent teachers in the congre- 
gations. 

Now, if the apostles did teach them all the things 
given them in charge, " all things necessary to life and 
godliness," all Christian duties, including the preaching 
of the gospel and evangelization of the world, 
and making disciples of all the nations ; all things per- 
taining to the organization and government of the con- 
gregations ; and if they did set, (1) some to be servants ; 
(2) some to be rulers, shepherds and teachers; (3) 
and others to be evangelists, missionaries or preach- 
ers to make disciples and set in order churches ; then, 
by what right or authority does class number three 
assume the work of class number two ? Is not this a 
change and perversion of the divine law ? If it is really 
for the best, is not the divine law in the wrong — clearly 
and greatly in the wrong, and no one left capable of 
correcting the wrong ? 

In our form of civil government we have, (1) the leg- 
islative ; (2) the judicial ; (3) the executive department. 
Each has its place and work. And for either depart- 
ment to interfere with the work of the others, would be 
meddlesome, unlawful, confusing, disrespectful and ruin- 
ous to the government, and to the rights and interests 
of the people. 

How must it be in the church when one class, the 
preachers, assume all the rights and powers, and lord it 
over God's heritage ? In the third and fourth centuries 
the preachers got control of the churches, and they have 
never been willing to yield it up. Some of them claim 
to be " embassadors of Christ " in direct line of succes- 
sion from the apostles, and even Protestant preachers 
assume titles and honors, rights and privileges belong- 
ing to God alone ! 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 385 

Many, even, of those who claim to follow the Bible 
alone, tell us no church can live and prosper without a 
preacher. Though they cannot pretend that the Bible 
authorizes the preacher-pastor idea, as it now prevails 
among us. They know it does not, and do not claim 
that such was the divine arrangment. Still they belittle 
the elders (instead of teaching and qualifying them for 
their work as Timothy was to do,) and then plead the 
necessity for this course till the elders are qualified. But 
their course will never qualify them. Its tendency is in 
the other direction. And hence, now, they talk of 
" loug pastorates." 

A. Campbell says of "the clergy " : 

" Xo class or order of men that ever appeared on earth have ob- 
tained so much influence, or acquired so complete an ascendency 
over the human mind as the clergy. The Christian clergy have exer- 
cised for about fifteen hundred years, a sovereign dominion over the 
Bible, the consciences and the religious sentiments of all. nations pro- 
fessing Christianity. Even kings and emperors have bowed with de- 
ference to their authority, acknowledging their supremacy, and not 
daring to wield the scepter till consecrated and crowned by a minis- 
ter of religion! Though vials of wrath have been poured from 
heaven upon the kingdom of the clergy ; though many of them have 
gnawed their tongues, and bit their lips with pain, at the loss of their 
former magnificent and mighty sway— yet, still, their dominion, 
though much impaired, exists to an alarming extent ; and their eager- 
ness to have an unrivaled control over public sentiment, in all relig- 
ious affairs, remains unabated. Behold the arrogance of their claims ! 
and the peerless haughtiness of their pretensions ! ! They have said, 
and many of them still say, they have an exclusive right, an official 
right to affix the proper interpretation to the scriptures ; to expound 
them in public assemblies ; insomuch, that it would be presumptuous 
in a layman to attempt to exercise any of those functions which they 
have assumed." 

And we are told nothing can be done. So Luther 

was told, and so he would have felt, no doubt, had he 

been like most of us. But something teas done. And 

something can be done now. God's plan has succeeded 

25 



386 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

abundantly wherever it has been tried, and is now suc- 
ceeding. And, besides, we are inquiring not for what 
men call success, but for the divine 'plan. 

We are not accountable for success, but for obedience 
to divine law. Paul did not always succeed in the mod- 
ern and surface sense. Men did not see it ; on the con- 
trary he suffered imprisonment, stripes, hunger and mar- 
tyrdom. Yet Paul made a glorious success, by follow- 
ing God's way, and would have made a shameful failure 
had he turned aside after the ways of men, as so many 
have done since. The faithful performance of duty is 
the best success any man has ever attained, though he 
may suffer much, and wait long for his reward. And 
no man makes a failure so sad and ruinous as the man 
who forsakes the law of God, to go after the ways of 
men, however gilded and pleasing they may be. 

A way may seem to us to be right, and may seem to 
succeed finely. Mr. Beecher's ox yoke and infant bap- 
tism seemed to him to succeed. He judged them, and 
said he needed no Bible for such things. We are here 
inquiring " What hath the Lord spoken ? " Paul said, 
" It is a small thing that I should be judged of you, or 
of man's judgment." If I am with God's book, I am 
safe. If not, I am in danger, at least. 

We may hinder or promote the gospel, but it will 
stand though the heavens fall. Yet we are in danger. 
We may fail. We "may draw down upon ourselves 
wrath against the day of wrath," even while we " verily 
think we are doing God's service ; " changing, modify- 
ing and adding to God's law, to popularize it with an 
ungodly world, a people who " would crucify the Son of 
God afresh, and put him to an open shame ; " and all in 
the face of plain teaching, that, " The friendship of the 
world is enmity to God." As if this were not true now ! 



LI \ '£ REL1GI0 US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 387 

The Lord help us to feel that we are in danger, in great 
danger, just in proportion as we depart from God's 
law! 

SCRIPTURAL ORGANIZATION. 

The apostles were very soon made to feel the need of 
deacons, or helpers about tables, and the care of wid- 
ows, the poor, etc., (see Acts vi : 1-6,) that they might 
give themselves entirely to the word of God and prayer. 
And they directed the church to choose (exelexantos) 
seven men for this work — and they gave their qualifica- 
tions. 

Then the multitude made the selections, and the apos- 
tles appointed, separated or ordained (katastee somen — or- 
dained) them. This is the second democratic action of 
the church, and seems to indicate that as the apostles 
were present and miraculously endowed, and still would 
not choose these officers for the church, no preacher, or 
other person or persons, now can do this. It is the work 
of the church. And if the deacons are to be chosen by 
the church, why not all the officers ? This was in the 
beginning. Some seventeen years afterwards we read 
of "the church, the apostles and elders." (Acts xv.) 
These elders may have included the deacons or they may 
have been the bishops of the church, so far as any one 
can determine from the record. But a little before, at 
the introduction of the gospel among the Gentiles at 
Antioch (Acts xiii : 1, etc.,) we have the names of three 
men : Simeon, Lucius and Manaeri, who were adjudged 
capable of taking the oversight of the church ; and 
hence Paul and Barnabas were sent out as evangelists. 
On that tour which lasted two years or more, (the com- 
mon chronology says five or six,) they re-visited their 
brethren where they had established congregations, and 
" ordained elders in every church." (Acts xiv : 23.) 



388 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF TEE DAY. 

Cheirotoneesantes (i. e.,) elected by stretching out or rais- 
ing the hand ; or they caused the churches to do this, 
and the ordination proper came afterwards. Cheirotonees- 
antes tells how they chose them. Then about A. D. 60, 
Paul called the elders of the church at Ephesus to him 
at Miletus, and addressed them as overseers or bishops, say- 
ing, (Acts xx : 28) : " Take heed unto yourselves and unto 
all the flock among whom the Holy Ghost hath made you 
overseers," etc. Here we see but one flock yet a plu- 
rality of overseers. This corresponds with the plural- 
ity of elders ordained in every church. And when Paul 
wrote to the church at Philippi (A. D. 64,) he addressed 
"the saints in Christ Jesus, who are at Philippi, with 
the bishops and deacons." Phil, i : 1. In his letters to 
Timothy and Titus, he also speaks of bishops and dea- 
cons and of no other officers in any church. From this 
summary we conclude : 

1. That bishops and deacons were the permanent 
officers of each church. 

2. That they were elders (seniors) with certain pe- 
culiar qualifications, before they were made bishops and 
deacons. 

That each church selected or elected such of the elders 
as were adjudged qualified to be officers — age being only 
one qualification. 

That after their election they were ordained by fast- 
ing, prayer and the laying on of hands ; and by their 
selection and ordination they became bishops and deacons. 

Of course they were elders still, and it is not surpris- 
ing if we sometimes find them afterwards called elders, 
though elder means age, and not office. We call a 
president, general, because he was a general before, and 
not because president and general are equivalent terms. 
Moses selected from among the elders seventy wise men 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 389 

to aid him, and so made officers and rulers — captains of 
hundreds, over thousands, etc. (See Ex. xviii : 21, 22; 
Deut. xiii : 14, 15.) Num. xi : 16, tells Moses, 
"gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, 
whom thou knowest to he the elders of the people," etc. 
These were to share the responsihlity of Moses. How 
careful God was to give their qualifications. Being 
elders was only one qualification. No one was a judge 
or captain under Moses simply because he was an elder. 
No man is a bishop or a deacon simply because he is an 
elder. All these officers were chosen from anion or the 

o 

elders, and because they were elders and were also oth- 
erwise qualified. Elders were to officers about as one to 
a thousand. It would be strange if the officers were 
not sometimes called elders still. It is strange that we 
so often confound elder and officer. Elder no more 
means bishop than it means evangelist, or wife or presi- 
dent of the United States; all these are aged, more or 
less. Still age has power, and in proportion to its wis- 
dom, knowledge and experience. This is all we can say 
for it. 

5. The reason these selections were not made at once, 
in Crete and elsewhere, from the beginning, was, quali- 
fied elders were not to be found, and the unqualified 
were not to be chosen, however old they might be. 

THE QUALIFICATIONS OF BISHOPS AND DEACONS. 

For these see 1 Tim. 3rd chapter and Titus 1st chap- 
ter. To Timothy, he says: "A bishop, then, must be" 
thus and so, giving nineteen different items. This means 
that he cannot be a bishop without these qualifications. 
Hence to Titus, he says : " Ordain elders in every city, 
if any be blameless," etc. And this means that he was 
not to ordain any elder to the office, if he did not have 



390 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

these qualifications. Among his qualifications, he must 
be the husband of one wife, and he " must have believ- 
ing children." This is the revised rendering, and it is 
literally correct. No man, therefore, can be a bishop 
who has not a wife and Christian children, though he 
have age, and though he were as eloquent as Apollos, 
and as pure as an angel ; and he must be apt or fit to 
teach the church. This, however, does not mean that 
he must be a preacher. He must have a good report 
among the people of the world, and there must be no 
charge against him in the church, etc. It is not said 
that the deacons must have believing children, or that 
they shall be apt to teach. In other things their qualifi- 
cations are much the same. 

THEIR DUTIES. 

The deacons, as their name imports, are servants, not 
rulers or teachers. The bishops, if they have the cor- 
rect names, are rulers, judges, overseers, teachers, 
guides, and hence are to " take care of the church of 
God." " They watch for souls as those who are to give 
an account." The presbyters were the elders : the episco- 
poi were the overseers or bishops. Jesus was the good 
Poimeen, or shepherds, and the bishops were under shep- 
herds. As shepherd, they fed, and led, defended their 
flocks, and were the true and only earthly pastors and 
rulers. 

The qualifications of evangelists are faith, knowledge 
and ability to preach, baptize and set in order churches. 
The meaning of their name implies traveling — bearing 
good news. Hence we do not read that any one of 
them was ever permanently located. They remained 
in one place only long enough to set in order the con- 
gregation. They were not pastors. First, because they 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 391 

generally lacked some of the qualifications ; and second, 
because their work and their fields of labor widely dif- 
fer. Much less did they seek "long pastorates," or 
consider it an honor to be kept long at one place. They 
doubtless would have considered this a great dishonor. 
It would have indicated at least a lack of aptness and 
success as evangelist. Paul considered it a sufficient 
reason for wanting Mark, that he was "useful to him 
for the ministry." So now, when the church sees a 
man able to be useful as an evangelist, she should put 
him forward, and sustain him as an evangelist, or mis- 
sionary. This is about what we have concerning the 
qualifications of evangelists. Please note, 

SOME POINTS OF CONTRAST BETWEEN THE EVANGELISTS AND 
BISHOPS, OR PASTORS. 

It is not said or implied that the evangelist shall be 
old or young ; that he shall or shall not have a family ; 
that he shall be learned or eloquent, rich or poor ; but 
only that he shall be " useful for the ministry." This 
requires faith, purity and knowledge, not an extended 
trial or experience. But the bishops must be such men 
as are described by Paul, just as a man, to be president 
of the United States must be a native born American, 
thirty-five years old, etc., and no legal officer would ad- 
minister the oath of office to one without these qualifi- 
cations, even if every elector had voted for him. A 
voter must be twenty-one years old, and must have 
lived the specified time in the place where he votes. 
People must have certain qualifications and legal license, 
or they cannot be lawfully married. To be baptized one 
must have faith and repentance. Alas ! for the baptizer 
of such as lack these ! To be priests under the law, 
men had to be of the tribe of Levi, thirty years old and 
without blemish, etc. What would we say of the party 



392 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

ordaining those who lacked the required qualifications? 
And what shall we say of the church or evangelist who 
ordains men to the bishop's ofi3.ce, when they lack the 
required qualifications ! To send out unqualified preach- 
ers, or to put unqualified men into the office of bishop 
or deacon, is to insure failure, as certainly as when un- 
qualified men are made presidents, governors, judges, 
school teachers or railroad managers, or preachers. And 
yet we are choosing and ordaining men, making bishops 
or pastors of men, without families, without believing 
children, without capacity to teach or rule, at least with- 
out evidence of these. Some of them have never even 
prayed in the church or in their families. (Sad exam- 
ples they !) And still we wonder at the inefficiency of 
our eldership. Is it not time we were wondering at our- 
selves ? 

The evangelist is a preacher and not a permanent 
teacher, necessarily, except as teaching is included in 
preaching the word. To preach, is to proclaim or an- 
nounce, as from the housetop, the good news of salva- 
tion. Of course he must teach sinners what to do to 
become Christians ; and must then set them forward in 
their Christian duties, and set in order the churches. 
But the evangelist is not a regular teacher in the congre- 
gation as the bishops are. Indeed the evangelist is no 
where called an officer in the congregation at all. His 
work is rather outside. He is & field officer, if officer at 
all, a recruiter and organizer. Hence, when Titus 
was to "set in order the things wanting," that is, to 
supply the deficiencies, he was only to appoint, or or- 
dain bishops and deacons, in every church — not evan- 
gelists. Evangelists belonged not a the things wanting 
in the churches." And churches are in scriptural order, 
" wanting nothing," without evangelists, if they have scrip- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 393 

turally qualified bishops and deacons. But the bishops 
and deacons belong to the congregational organization. 
The churches are not scripturally organized without 
them. And the bishojos are teachers. This does not nec- 
essarily imply what we usually call preachers or preach- 
ing. It is preaching only in a secondary and accommo- 
dated sense, as when the reading of Moses is called 
preaching. The old women were to be teachers, good 
teachers, teachers of good things. And in many partic- 
ulars they are the best teachers. Still they are not to 
be preachers. Some of the bishops " labored in word 
and doctrine." (1 Tim. v : 19.) To labor in word is to 
preach the gospel ; to labor in doctrine is to teach. No 
doubt it would be well if one of the bishops in every 
church was able to labor in word — to preach Christ; 
that is, to do the work of an evangelist, as well as the 
work of a bishop. And where no one of the bishops 
can do this, it may be well, sometimes, to have an evan- 
gelist to labor in the bounds of the church, if he can 
afford to " do the work of an evangelist ; " without seek- 
ing to be "the pastor," and so displacing the bishops. 

Paul " preached the gospel to the city, and taught 
many." Acts xiv : 21. How many? All he could do 
for the city was to preach to them ; in the market place, 
in the forum, or in the synagogue; but the disciples as- 
sembled quietly to be taught, and so to grow in grace 
and knowledge. And this was only carrying out the 
great commission. Though there is an unavoidable 
mixture of work, there is still a marked distinction be- 
tween preaching and teaching ; between preachers and 
teachers, and between evangelists and bishops, at this 
point. 

The bishops must rule, judge and take care of the 
church, as shepherds provide for and take care of their 



394 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

sheep. They are the only rulers in the churches. The 
evangelists are not rulers. Their name, their qualifica- 
tions and their work forbid this. They are, like the 
deacons, servants of the church. If an evangelist is 
made a ruler, it is not because he is a preacher, or evan- 
gelist, but because he has the qualifications named by 
Paul for bishops. His being a preacher does not dis- 
qualify him, but no one is a bishop or ruler in the 
church simply because he is a preacher, any more than 
one is a bishop because he is an elder, or elderly man, 
or because he is a deacon. Being a preacher is not even 
one of the qualifications for a bishop. 

ANSWERS TO OBJECTIONS AT THIS POINT. 

Some brethren claim ruling authority for evangelists, 
and in support of this claim they refer to 1 Tim. v: 19, 
where Paul says : "Against an elder receive not an ac- 
cusation but before two or three witnesses." This they 
construe to mean, that Timothy was not only a ruler 
and judge, but the bishop, in the true and literal dio- 
cesan order. But in this they evidently overlook two 
important considerations : 

1. Timothy was sent by Paul, not by a church, so far 
as we know, in this instance. He was the apostle of 
Paul, and went with miraculous powers, conferred on 
him by Paul. He was Paul's agent to. do apostolic 
work, as Titus was. We have manifestly no such evan- 
gelists now. And hence our evangelists should not 
claim to do all that Timothy and Titus did. They are 
not exactly and in all respects, Timothies or Tituses. 
They only resemble them in certain parts of their work, 
as they do the apostles. Preachers are not ambassadors 
because the apostles were, if they do sometimes claim 
to be. And no more are preachers to receive charges 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 395 

and judge cases in the ,church, even if Timothy did. 
2. But Paul was evidently teaching Timothy what he 
should teach the church; not necessarily what he should 
do in person. He was to teach the church to respect 
age and position, and not encourage accusations against 
the elders. This is the correct idea from the reading of 
the entire letter, and the following one. In 2 Tim. ii : 
2, he says : "And the things that thou has heard of me, 
the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able 
to teach others also." (See also 1 Tim. iii: 2, and Titus 
i: 9.) These references are directly to the bishops, as 
appears very clearly. So of all the other passages relied 
on to prove evangelical authority in the church. The 
one examined is the strongest one, and all are disposed 
of in the same way, and without putting ruling author- 
ity into the hands of the preachers. It is true that they 
wield a wonderful influence. 1. By their knowledge 
and moral power. In these particulars they are " chief 
men " in society, especially able and worthy preachers 
are. But they are not the only men Who wield this 
power. Others have it, and use it often quite effectually. 
2. Their calling as ministers of the gospel, has, in the 
minds of the masses, a special influence or power, 
whether it is sacred or superstitious. The Jews had 
their priests ; the idols have theirs ; Eome has hers, and the 
people have, some how, come to regard even Protestant 
preachers as all most sacred characters. Hence their 
power. Those of us who dare to follow the divine leading, 
look to the fountain head, and require nothing that is not 
as old as the apostles, and as sacred as truth. The Scrip- 
tures give no official or ruling authority to evangelists in 
the congregation ; and hence we presume to say, let them 
do the work assigned them ; it is enough. Let them 
not undertake to " lord it over God's heritage," or oth- 



396 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

erwise rule, till they have the scriptural qualifications 
for ruling. 

OTHER MISTAKES. 

It is boldly assumed by those who claim official ruling 
authority for evangelists — those who believe in the one 
man pastor system — those who would keep an evange- 
list always in the congregation to do the work of the 
bishops, that Timothy was at Ephesus to do this work, 
and that when he left, Paul sent Tychicus to take his 
place as the permanent pastor of the church at Ephe- 
sus. This latter claim is based on 2 Tim. iv : 12, where 
Paul says he sent Tychicus to Ephesus. He does not 
say for what. Let us examine this. 

The gospel was introduced into Ephesus about 56. 
From 56 to 59, Paul labored largely there. These are 
the three years referred to afterwards. In these three 
years, however, "All they of Asia heard the word of 
the Lord." This would not indicate that Paul confined 
his labors to the church, as he must have done 
had he been its pastor. In 59 he leaves, accom- 
panied by Sopater, Aristarcus, Secundus, Gaius, Tim- 
othy, Tychicus and Trophimus, the last two of Asia. 
They visited several places in Macedonia, Greece and 
Syria. Then they took ship for the Pentecost at Jeru- 
salem. Being in haste, Paul determined to pass by 
Ephesus, but the vessel stopping at Miletus, he " sent to 
Ephesus and called the elders of the church," (perhaps all 
who would come of the elderly members,) some of whom 
he addressed, on their arrival, as overseers, bishops or pas- 
tors. This was probably in the year 60, four years after 
the formation of the church, and about one year after 
he left them. Note, then : 

1. During these four years the church was one flock. 
(See Acts xx : 28. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 397 

2. They had a plurality of bishops. Whether they 
had deacons or not is not stated. Most probably they 
had, since it is easier to find persons qualified to be 
deacons. 

8. In his address to these bishops he tells them (Acts 
xx : 29, 30) that "after my departing shall grievous 
wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 
Also of your own selves, shall men arise, speaking per- 
verse things to draw away disciples after them." Four 
years after this, i. e., in the year 64, he writes them a 
long letter, and says nothing of the fulfillment of this 
prophecy up to that time. But the next year, A.D. 65, 
we find Timothy at Ephesus, and Paul's letter to him. 
This letter shows that Timothy was there to set the 
church in order, to reorganize it. They must, then, in 
fulfillment of Paul's prophecy, have been ^organized ; 
for in the year 60, they were organized. Xow Paul cau- 
tions Timothy to be careful : " Lay hands suddenly on 
no man." It was more difficult to re-organize the 
church than to set it in order at first. In 66, he writes 
Timothy a second letter, in which he says : " But watch 
thou in all things ; endure afflictions ; do the work of 
an evangelist ; make full proof of thy ministry." The 
work of Timothy in Ephesus, then, was the work of an 
evangelist, not that of a pastor. He was to set the church 
in order ; the bishops were to keep it in order. Hence 
Paul in this letter, contemplates Timothy's leaving so 
soon as his work was done ; and directs him to bring him 
his cloak, books and parchments. See 2 Tim. iv: 9-13. 
How beautifully this harmonizes with all else we read 
of the work of evangelists, and with their name and 
their qualifications. 

4. But Paul sent Tychicus to Ephesus, (2 Tim. iv : 12.) 
Yes, lift did. * But for what ? We cannot afford, for the 



398 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

sake of pastorating evangelists, who are " seeking a 
good time" instead of " enduring hardness, as good sol- 
diers of Jesus Christ," to assume that it was to take 
the place of Timothy, as pastor of the church there : 

1. Because we do not read that such was the object 
of his mission. We read the reverse. See Eph. vi : 
21, 22. 

2. Because, as appears above, Timothy was never 
the pastor of that church, or any other, so far as we are 
informed. 

3. Because Paul sent Tychicus to other places also. 
In the year 64, Paul sent him from Rome with the let- 
ter to the church at Ephesus, before we have any intima- 
tion that Timothy was there, or that the church was 
disorganized, except that given in Paul's prophecy, and 
he tells them the object. Chapter vi, verses 21, 22, viz: 
"But that ye may know my affairs, and how I do, 
Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the 
Lord, shall make known unto you all things ; whom I 
have sent unto you for the self-same purpose, that ye 
might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your 
hearts." These, then, were the purposes of his mission 
— not to be their pastor — certainly not to take Timo- 
thy's place, for at that time Timothy was not there. He 
went there afterwards, according to the common chro- 
nology, and the facts in the case. Paul was apprehen- 
sive and careful for them, but had not then heard of the 
difficulties that made Timothy's labors a necessity there. 
The next year, when he writes to Timothy, he refers to 
having sent Tychicus, but does not say when. We 
must consider the matters here stated as to the time. 
The year after he sent Tychicus to Ephesus he wrote to 
Titus in Crete, and intimates that he might send Tychi- 
cus to Crete. (See Titus iii : 12.) The same year that 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 399 

he sent Tychicus to Ephesus (64) he sent him also to Col- 
losse, and for the same avowed purpose, viz : " All my 
state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved 
brother, and a faithful minister, and fellow-servant in 
the Lord, whom I have sent unto you for the self-same 
purpose, that he might know your state and comfort 
your hearts." 

It is evident, therefore, that Tychicus did not go to 
Ephesus to take Timothy's place, since at the time of his 
going Timothy was not there; he went there after- 
wards ; and for a different purpose ; also, by the fact 
that, he was sent the same year to Collosse, and proba- 
bly soon after to Crete. Paul had several evangelists 
with him, whom he sent to such places as needed aid, 
and when he could not go himself; but we no where 
read that he ever sent one of them to be a pastor, or to 
remain, permanently at one place. So entirely founda- 
tionless are the claims and pretensions of those evan- 
gelists, who, unwilling to go out, endure hardness and 
do the work of evangelists, seek an easier place, better 
pay, and the honors and place of the only scriptural 
pastors of the church. 

But I am asked — "what must the disciples do in the 
absence of evangelists, when they have no men qualified 
for bishops and deacons?" This question is appro- 
priate. 

1. We are all kings and priests, and should meet reg- 
ularly and observe all the ordinances. There is the 
same authority for the meeting of " two or three " with- 
out reference to officers, as for the meeting of a thous- 
and, with all the scriptural officers ; they can worship 
as acceptably, and often, as profitably — nor can they be 
excused if they do not, whatever Rome or the clergy 
may say. 



400 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

5. The preachers have claimed sacerdotal authority 
for themselves. They would have the disciples and the 
world believe that they are to the church what the 
Aaronic priests were to the Jews; and that, therefore, 
they only are to administer the ordinances, teach and 
rule. It was easy for them to gain this point. The 
Jews were well acquainted with this system, and the 
Gentiles, having their idols and priests, were generally 
as ready to accept this claim. It was true that none 
but priests could officiate at the Jewish or idolatrous al- 
tars, and when it was allowed that preachers occupied 
the place of priests, their mastery was about complete. 
It was in this way that the Romish priests got the peo- 
ple so completely under them, and so hold them now. 
They even assume the name priests. 

But we have seen that Christ, the antitype of the 
great Aaronic High Priest, is in heaven, not on earth, 
and that the antitypes of the sons of the Aaronic high 
priests are all Christians. Every Christian is both a 
" king and a priest," with full and equal authority to 
officiate at the mercy-seat. This leaves no foundation 
whatever for this priestly claim by preachers. To im- 
press this let us pause a moment with the ancient 
fathers. 

Prof. G. P. Fisher's recent and learned church his- 
tory, concurring with all other histories as to this, says : 

"The basis of ecclesiastical organization was [in the early church] 
the fraternal equality of believers. 'All ye are brethren.' Instead of 
a sacerdotal order there was a universal priesthood. * * * The 
synagogue naturally seemed as a model in the organization of church- 
es. They are even called by that name in the epistle of James, (ii : 
2, Revised Verson.) This was their character at the outset. * * * 
In the church as in the synagogue, the elders or presbyters were 
equal in rank, although one of the 'rulers of the synagogue' among 
the Jews may have sometimes acted as president of the board. [But 
this is not proved.] In the Gentile churches the presbyters are all 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 401 

called * bishops,' the translation of the Greek word meaning 'over- 
seers.' * • * ' Evangelists were missionaries, deputies of the apos- 
tles, selected by them to assist in their missionary work. Timothy, 
Titus, Silas and others belonged to this class. The elders and deacons 
in the several churches were chosen by the body of disciples. * * * 
The connection of the churches was not organic. They were bound 
together only by ties of sympathy. * * The church at Jerusa- 

lem — it was at the beginning like a family. * * * Worship in the 
apostolic age was a spontaneous expression of devout feeling. The 
order of worship was a free copy of the synagogue service. Selections 
from the Old Testament were read. Expositions of Scripture and 
spontaneous speaking followed. If a letter from an apostle had ar- 
rived, it was read to the assembly. " — First period to p. 51. 

Then, as to the change of this order, Prof. Fisher, like 
other historians, is plain enough. Hear him a little: 

" In the New Testament, as we have seen, there were two classes 
of officers in each church, called, respectively, elders or bishops, and 
deacons. After we cross the limit of the first century we find that 
with each board of eldirs, there is a person to whom the name 
1 bishop ' is especially applied, although for a long time, he is like- 
wise often called a presbyter. In other words, in the room of a 
two-fold, we have a three-fold ministry. * * * There are many 
quesitons about which we are left more or less in the dark. This 
question of the origin of the episcopate is one of them. ,* * This 
creation was not so much an isolated act as a progressive develop- 
ment, not advancing exerywhere at a uniform rate, but exhibiting at 
one and the same time different stages of growth in different church- 
es. * * * In promoting the rise of the episcopate the example of 
the presidency exercised by Jews at Jerusalem would have its effect 
in Syria." [But this presidency of Jews at Jerusalem is not in the 
divine record, and is not reliable.] Jerome, the great scholar of the 
fourth century, adverts to a peculiarity in the church in Alexandria. 
' With the ancients,' he says, ' presbyters were the same as bishops, 
but gradually all the responsibility was transferred to a single person.' 
* The change to which we have just adverted was one of ele- 
ment in the consideration of the churches. It was a factor in the 
development of Catholic Christianity. As we pass the middle of the 
second century, and advance to its close, we- discern the means by 
which this important transportation was effected. * * * A third 
was an increased authority of the bishops, and the position ascribed 
to them as successors of the apostles. * * * More important than 
mere alterations in government and discipline was the introduction 
26 



402 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

and spread of the idea that the ministry are possessed of attributes of 
priesthood. It was an idea that borrowed support from the old Jew- 
ish economy to which the Christian system was imagined to be anal- 
ogous. Its first suggestion may have come from the example of the 
heathen priests. This conception once adopted had the effect to exalt 
the clergy, especially the bishops, in the popular estimation, and to 
separate the ministry, as a higher order, from the laity. * * * The 
first three centuries witnessed the growth of hierarchial organization. 
In this, as in other church arrangements, secular and political models 
had a large influence. The spread of the sacerdotal idea, and along 
with it, the tendency to imitate the Jewish system, were not without 
a strong effect." — Second period to p. 56 Fishers. 

It would be easy to increase these quotations largely 
from various authors, if space permitted. These may 
serve to show what is of men, and what is of Gocl, and 
how the change was brought about, and primitive Chris- 
tianity corrupted and displaced. We are proposing to 
go all the way back to the beginning, and have Chris- 
tianity as we find it in the New Testament. And the 
same difficulties beset our pathway. It is not easy to 
change long standing customs and governments, and es- 
pecially for the better. The people were used to the 
rule of the priests ; and the preachers got into the place 
of the priests, assumed sacerdotal functions, and dis- 
placed the scriptural teachers and rulers. The most dif- 
ficult part of our task is here. " The people love to have 
it so." The preachers love to have it so. Long custom 
has made the bondage strong. There is a want of desire 
for scriptural liberty. Perversions and fraudulent argu- 
ments and objections are presented at every point, and 
with great persistance and cunning. Still, the ancient 
order is manifest. Let this be remembered. It is un- 
questionable. And as sure as truth is better than false- 
hood; as sure as God's ways are better than man's 
ways ; as certain as pure apostolic Christianity is better 
than any admixture of it with human devices, so sure- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 403 

ly should we — must we — ''contend earnestly for the 
faith once delivered to the saints ; " and we hoist the 
primitive banner and go forward in the name of the 
Captain of our salvation. 

The modern clergy added to their power over the peo- 
ple by claiming a direct call and special qualifications to 
what they call the " Christian ministry." This claim is 
no more absurd and groundless than the other. And 
though men may laugh at their pretensions to speaking 
just what God puts into their mouths, standing between 
the living and the dead, and then, in conclusion, pray- 
ing for God to "bless truth and pardon error," as if, 
after all, he might have spoken some error through 
him ! Yet their mysterious claim has in it a mysterious 
power over the masses. AVe are superstitious creatures, 
and few of us like to run against the bare possibility of 
their being something in their claim. It is a little like 
going about a grave yard, or sitting up alone with a 
corpse. We may make light of the idle fears of others, 
but we do not feel so exactly at home when thus alone, 
especially on a dark and dreary night ! One of these 
especially called and qualified preachers may cry lo, 
here! another, lo, there! and a third, lo ! yonder; one 
may teach one doctrine, a second another doctrine, and 
so on to the end, which could not be if their claim were 
true; and yet we listen to them and yield largely to 
their influence. Now, 

WHAT MUST WE DO TO BREAK THIS POWER ? 

It certainly cannot be wise to submit to it, since we 
know it contradicts both itself and the plain teaching 
of the apostles. The apostles defied it, and the first 
Christians largely overcame it. Luther defied it and 
largely overcame it. So of other reformers. This is 
encouraging. 



404 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

1. Let us show plainly and beyond question what the 
apostles taught, and what the first Christians practiced. 
This is not always an easy task. There is a thick veil 
over the minds, of many. But it has been done and 
can be done. Then we must show that this is the most 
excellent way, and the only assured road to heaven. 
We will never succeed while we leave people ready to 
say, " yes, that is true," and allow them still to hold that 
something else will do as well. That would be equal to 
saying: it is not important to be right; and this would 
be in direct conflict with the whole revelation of God. 
For if it is not important to be right, why should the 
Lord so carefully reveal to us his will ? Where is the 
importance of his will, if something else will do as well? 
" The truth shall make you free," said the Savior. He 
has provided nothing else to loose our bonds, and make 
us free. But we must well and clearly understand the 
truth. Hence this volume. 

2. "We must teach, and train, qualify and put forward 
such faithful elders as may become scriptural bishops. 
This was Paul's idea (2 Tim. ii : 2,) when he said : "And 
the things which thou hast heard from me among many 
witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who 
shall be able to teach others also." "Who shall be able 
to teach others also" certainly shows that it was to be a 
part of Timothy's work to teach and qualify teachers 
and rulers. Is it not also clearly the duty of evange- 
lists now? But this is just what the clergy have not done. 
They have done the opposite. Instead of making spe- 
cial efforts to qualify such elders as might become bish- 
ops, and encouraging the church to look to them, sub- 
mit to them, and not discourage them by adverse criti- 
cisms or otherwise, they have gone on and performed 
nearly all the work themselves, even to the building of 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE BAY. 405 

church houses, just as if no one was, or could be capa- 
ble but themselves ! No wonder our elders are not well 
qualified for the work of bishops ! 

We have made vigorous and costly efforts to qualify 
young men to be preachers, of which we need not be 
understood as complaining. But while it is as scriptur- 
al and important, in every possible view of the case, to 
educate and train old men to be bishops, where is the 
effort in that direction ? Nothing worth the name ap- 
pears. And we make a loud, wailing and constant cry 
for the support of preachers, pleading that "those who 
preach the gospel should live of the gospel," which is 
true; yet where is the effort to sustain the bishops 
financially or otherwise? We hear many criticisms 
and complaints of their best efforts — and little else! 
They are generally poor men, and must provide for 
their families. Many of them would become largely 
useful, but they have not money to buy books and pa- 
pers, or time to read and study, or to visit the members. 
Their brethren would blame them if they did not pro- 
vide for their families. The world would say they were 
"worse than infidels," because they "provide not for 
their houses!" 1 Tim. v: 8. We can all see that 
preachers must live, and they must have time for study, 
etc., or they cannot preach properly. But who sees that 
bishops need to live, (except by the labor of their own 
hands — and preachers have as many hands as bishops !) 
or that they need books, papers, time to visit the mem- 
bers, and to prepare a good Bible lesson for the Lord's 
day service ! It requires at least as much study to pre- 
pare a profitable Bible lesson as a popular sermon. And 
we have far more efficient helps for the sermonic style. 
It is, also, emphatically the icork of bishops to visit the 
members, search for straying sheep, heal the (spiritually) 



406 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

sick, strengthen the weak, confirm the strong, hear and 
settle difficulties, guard against special temptations, 
and dangers, etc. And all this must require a large 
part of the week. The poor bishops are not able to 
give all this time and labor to the church. Hence, the 
work is not done, and the reading, comments, and man- 
agement of the Lord's day meetings are not satisfactory. 
And we have few to plead their apology or just excuse. 
Now all this must be changed. The work of bishops is 
not less important than that of preachers, and they 
need and deserve support as certainly as do the preach- 
ers. This does not mean large salaries. A few church- 
es are now paying their bishops, out of the church 
treasury, at least as much as their labor at home would 
be worth to their families, for the time the interests of 
the members require at their hands. This cuts off ex- 
cuse or apology on their part, and if the work is not 
done they must appear as unfaithful shepherds. Let 
this good work go forward. Then the churches will be 
both better able to do without the preachers, and to sus- 
tain them in their scriptural work as evangelists. 

With the changes already noted came others, owing 
to the general departure from primitive Christianity, a 
few of which are copied here from Prof. Fisher. He 
says of the fourth century : 

"The bishops were chosen by the neighboring bishops, together 
with clergy and laity of the particular church over which he was to 
preside. [The independence of the churches had then been destroy- 
ed by the bishops and the clergy.] With the increase of the number 
of Christians and the advance of clerical powers, the number of offi- 
cers increased. As early as the middle of the third century, mention 
is made of a class of sub-deacons. Still earlier there is notice of lec- 
tors or readers. There was a body of singers ; a company of door- 
keepers, who sometimes formed a separate order; a body of acolytes, 
who were attendants of the bishop ; and a class of exorcists, whose 
function it was to repeat formulas of abjuration for the expulsion of 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 407 

evil spirits. All these were loosely reckoned among the clergy, 
and contributed to raise the importance of the higher officers among 
them. The clergy were supported partly by collections and gifts of the 
congregations. But they pursued the customary employments of 
society — tilled the ground, kept shop, worked at trades, held civil of- 
fices. Cyprian protests against a long absence of the clergy on er- 
rands of business, and against the acceptance by them of civil offices, 
which would take up their time. Several centuries elapsed before 
trade was forbid to the clergy, first in the west, and later in the east. 
Even then they were expected to learn some handicraft."— p. 55. 

When once they departed from apostolic teaching 
there was no end to the number of their innovations. 
They drifted like a vessel with huge sails on a stormy 
ocean, without rudder or pilot. Human passion and 
lust prevailed — and especially did the clergy prevail. 
And by the term clergy they meant about what we 
mean now by "the pastor." "The pastor," with us, is 
precisely the bishop with them, and their bishop was or 
would be a clergyman with us. 

But this extract is made more especially to show that 
their clergy were not independent of labor and business. 
This accords with Jones' statement, that teachers and 
rulers of the Waldenses were weavers, tailors, etc. Why 
should it not be so ? 

Evangelists need to give themselves wholly to their 
work. Not so of the bishops. A plurality in each 
church, one can preside at one time, another at another 
time, etc. And they are to give such portions of 
their week-day time to the church as its welfare de- 
mands. Sometimes they all meet in council, etc. 
Sometimes they are all at home, and should set an exam- 
ple of industry and economy. But they should receive 
pecuniary support in proportion to their labors in the 
interests of the church. This is natural, scriptural and 
necessary to success. 

3. Let the preachers do their part, teaching and train- 



408 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

ing the elders for bishops and deacons, and the congre- 
gation for sustaining and encouraging them ; and very 
soon we will see the wisdom of the divine arrangement. 
The members must learn to come together to worship, 
and to teach and study God's word — not to have their 
ears tickled by a pretty speech, from which little of im- 
portance can be learned. We must learn "the ancient 
order" better than to meet to be preached to after the 
past or present clergy style. Meet socially; worship, 
teach, read, learn, exhort one another, etc. Let each 
congregation be one grand Bible class, with Bibles 
open, with lessons announced on the previous Lord's 
day, and carefully studied during the week. Let 
each go with some question, some idea for the gen- 
eral good, etc. 1 Cor. xiv: 26. And as certain as 
God's way is wiser than man's way, will we soon see 
wherein we have been wrong, and what is the divine- 
ly chosen way to the best success. The disciples will 
study, and learn the holy Scriptures, as in the beginning 
of this reformation, and as they never will do under the 
modern one-man pastor. For a time we may lose some 
attendants, those who do not attend in order to worship ; 
but soon all will see the wisdom of this course in the 
upbuilding of the saints, the purification of the worship, 
sending out the gospel, and abounding in good works. 
If the preachers say no ; never mind. Follow the an- 
cient order. If the preachers cannot afford to abide in 
tbeir proper calling, do the work of evangelists, and so 
make full proof of their ministry, let them go to their 
own place. Such men are by no means fit to do the 
work of bishops, or to " have the care of churches." 

This direct and complete return to the pure, primitive 
worship, will, besides establishing and prospering the 
churches, give us a glorious revival in the true and 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 409 

scriptural missionary work of the church now so much 
needed. We are hampered now hoth hy lack of men 
and means. We shall have plenty of both then — 
and there will be no war over the plan. All will be 
content to follow Paul's example. Till we do adopt 
this course, all the devices of men will fail, as they have 
in the past, to enlighten and convert the world to the 
true love and service of Christ. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

The Missionary Work of the Church. — Divine authority necessary ; 
church authority and its limitations ; importance of brotherly 
love here also ; the apostles and early Christians our examples — 
authority of example — we are commanded to follow it; hence, 
when we find what and how they did we have found what and 
how we must do, so far as we are able ; the best way to spread 
the gospel— Paul's way ; Paul's four great missionary tours and 
their results — sent by the church at Antioch, and reported to it 
— very little said about his support ; he trusted in the promise of 
God, not in the promise of man. 

Before proceeding directly to the subject, let us de- 
termine the authority by which we are to act. For it 
must be allowed that some things are done and can be 
done only by direct divine authority ; while others are 
done by indirect authority through the church. 

Divine authority is necessary for every act of worship, 
and for every condition of forgiveness and union. This 
applies to forgiveness by man, and to forgiveness by 
God ; to union with man and to union with God. All 
acts of worship that are not authorized by God himself, 
are vain worship ; because not of God. All conditions 
of forgiveness and union not of God, are null and void, 
because they are of man only. See Matt, xv : 9, and 
Mark vii : 7. This is called worship; but as it has no 
God in it, so it has no good in it. Of this many cases 
and numerous testimonies are given. The Divine Being 
reserves to himself the right to decide how he will be 
worshiped ; and he has repeatedly refused the worship 
devised by man; as in the case of Jeroboam's altars and 
worship. Hence, no man, or body of men, however 
numerous learned and unanimous, can ever prescribe a 
(410) 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 411 

single condition of pardon, of salvation or of union 
with God or with man. To assume to do this is to as- 
sume the divine prerogative. No one of these matters is 
to be voted upon or in any way to be decided by man. 
This is holy ground, and man should take the shoes 
from his feet to stand upon it. God has spoken ! Let 
all the lord's of earth be silent ! 

Church authority may sometimes decide how to do the 
divine commands, and certain matters connected with 
worship, though not really essential to it, with certain 
limitations. A house of worship, comfortable and spa- 
cious, is connected with worship, and often of consider- 
able importance to it; but it is not absolutely necessary ; 
we can worship acceptably without a house, as tens of 
thousands have done. A large congregation is of in- 
terest, but only " two or three " are really necessary. 
The few have often worshiped as acceptably and profit- 
ably as the many possibly could. Hymn books, tuning 
forks, etc., may be of interest; but we can worship 
without them, as many have done. All the matters of 
this class may be called incidentals. Mr. Locke and 
others call them things indifferent. They are generally 
called matters of expediency, and matters of opinion 
and preference. But these all have 

THEIR LIMITATIONS. 

Xothing can be expedient, indifferent, or even in- 
cidental to worship that is inconsistent with our 
duty to God or man; or that, in any way conflicts 
with divine authority. An expedient must be law- 
ful, practicable and wise. A measure may be prac- 
ticable when it is not lawful; and it may be both 
lawful and practicable, when it is not expedient. It was 
" expedient that one man should die for the people." 



412 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

John xi: 50; xviii: 14. Jesus said: "It is expedient 
for you that I go away." John xvi : 7. Paul said : 
"All things are lawful for me, but all things are not ex- 
pedient." 1 Cor, vi : 12 ; x : 23. It was as lawful for 
him to " lead about a sister wife " as for other apostles 
to do so, (and might have been as practicable,) but he 
did not regard it expedient. It was highly expedient 
for the Corinthians to do what they had voluntarily 
promised to do. 2 Cor. viii : 10. But it was not expedi- 
ent for Paul to boast, 2 Cor. xii : 1, though it might 
have been strictly lawful. It is not always wise to do a 
thing that is both practicable and lawful ; and expedi- 
ency determines this point. It is expedient to do a law- 
ful thing in a wise and just way. It can never be expe- 
dient to do a right thing in a wrong way ; that is, to vio- 
late the divine law which includes doing justice to God and 
man. This would be " doing evil that good might come ; 
like the Jesuitical law that the end justifies the means." 
But even the best end does not justify lying, deceit, or 
the use of any unjust or any unlawful means. All these 
are highly and always decidedly inexpedient. Thus : It 
is certainly both lawful and practicable to " go and 
preach the gospel;" but it would be inexpedient to 
take our neighbor's horse or conveyance, without his 
leave, in order to obey this command. It is our duty 
to provide for ourselves and our households; but it 
would not be expedient to do so with injustice to our 
neighbor. It is clearly right to visit the " fatherless and 
widows ; " but it would be inexpedient to do so in a way 
to harm them. It would, indeed, be inexpedient to do 
so when greater evil would thereby come to others than 
good to them. It is lawful and practicable to eat meat, 
with thanksgiving ; for so Paul decides ; but it would be 
highly inexpedient and sinful to do so when, by so do- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 413 

ing we cause even a weak brother to err, or when we 
offend the feelings of any weak brother. We can live 
without flesh, but we cannot live in the divine favor 
and needlessly disregard the feelings of our brother. 
" When you sin so against the brethren, and wound 
their weak consciences, ye sin against Christ." 1 Cor. 
viii : 12. " It is evil for that man who eateth with of- 
fence." Rom. xiv : 21. (See the connection in both 
chapters.) No one, perhaps, questions the lawfulness 
of instrumental music in the family, or in the school; 
but if it should become a stumbling block, or an offence 
to others, then it would not be expedient: the evil would 
be far greater than the good. A Miss B, in Kentucky, 
very accomplished and fond of her organ, and ever 
ready to argue for its use in the church, was asked what 
she should do, if, when her brother came home, after an 
absence of three years, he should be so displeased with 
her playing that he should determine to leave, if she 
persisted in it? Without a moment's hesitation she 
said, with emphasis : " / ivould never go near it again." 
This was natural affection — a sister's expediency. 
How inexpedient, unwise and unjust, had she persisted 
in its use — loving the instrument more than she loved 
her brother. Yet alas ! Many sisters are now sho wing- 
that they will have the organ if all their brothers are 
offended and leave ! They imagine they will gain more 
than they lose ! Not long since a preacher said : " Yes, 
put in the instrument; if some leave, others will come, 
and the gain will be greater than the loss." With all 
such, it is a question to be decided by human judgment 
as to loss and gain. Divine authority, justice, brotherly 
love and the golden rule, are not considered or regard- 
ed! Yet they claim to venerate the Bible and to love 
God's children ! they sometimes even talk of self-denial, 



414 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

crucifying the flesh, etc.; but they do not see how very 
inexpedient their course is. 

In all the matters to be decided by the church, or by 
ourselves individually, we are limited by the word of 
God. We dare not disregard its letter and its spirit, 
though ten thousand learned men should vote to do so. 
It must always be highly inexpedient, because unjust 
and unbrotherly, when we, for the sake of an opinion 
or preference of ours in a matter not necessary to 
the worship, disregard the feelings, or preferences or 
consciences of our brethren. It was right for the Cor- 
inthians to settle difficulties, and avoid injustice. But 
it was inexpedient and sinful for them to appeal to the 
civil law. Paul says: "Why not rather take wrong? 
Why not rather be defrauded ? " 1 Cor. vi : 7, etc. 

Still while perhaps none will question these principles 
and facts, some saying: Never mind the plan; go 
and preach the gospel in any way ! And they most 
sadly and manifestly pervert Phil, i : 18, in support of 
their reckless plans. There can be be no justification 
for preaching the gospel on an offensive plan. With 
proper "brotherly love," we could adopt a plan that 
would give no often ce to Jew or Greek, or to the church 
of God ; " and the true law of expediency, if there were 
nothing more, certainly requires us to do so. No man is 
at liberty to offend his brother needlessly in order to 
gratify his preference. 

All this applies when the plan or manner of doing 
certain things is not fully given. Where the manner of 
doing any thing is given, or so far as it is given, the 
manner is part of the command, and is as authoritative 
as the command itself. As when Paul says: "Brethren, 
if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritu- 
al, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, con- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 415 

sidering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." Gal. vi: 1, 
2. " In the spirit of meekness," express the manner of 
restoring him, and is as authoritative and important as 
restoring him. In 2 Tim. iv : 2, Paul says : " Reprove, 
rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering and doctrine." 
The things to be done were, " reprove, rebuke, exhort ; " 
the manner of doing them was, " with all long suffering 
and doctrine." This was as important as the work to 
be done ; it is a part of the law ; and should we attempt 
to do the work in any other way, our disobedience and 
our failure would be complete. Paul was sent to " preach 
the gospel, not with wisdom of words." In 1 Cor. i : 
17, and ii: 1-5, he declares he did not use "excellency 
of speech," or enticing words of man's wisdom." In 2 
Cor. iv: 5, he says: "For we preach, not ourselves, 
but Christ Jesus the Lord ; and ourselves your servants, 
for Jesus' sake." Here is divine manner, by divine au- 
" thority, and no man can safely depart from it. We are 
to " serve God with all humility of mind." Acts xx : 
19. This is the manner commanded and required. 
" Singleness of heart " was required. Col. iii: 22. We 
might sight such testimonies from almost every book in 
the sacred canon. Hence the conclusion, that the man- 
ner of doing a thing is as important as the thing to be 
done so far as the manner is given. When it is not 
given we are still under the restrictions named. But, 

GOD HAS CHOSEN HIS O^YN WAY FOR' SPREADING THE GOSPEL. 

God, our adored Father, is the only unerring philoso- 
pher, and he has always taught, and impressed his les- 
sons, by examples. 

Jude 7 : " The cities are set for an example, suffering 
the vengeance," etc. 

1 Cor. x : 6, 11 : " And these things were our ex- 



416 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

amples," etc. "Now all these things happened to them 
for examples, and they are written for our admonition," 
etc. 

1 Tim. iv : 12 : " But be thou an example for be- 
lievers," etc. 

1 Peter ii: 21 : "Christ also suffered for us, leaving 
us an example that ye should follow his steps." 

John xiii : 15 : " For I have given you an example, that 
ye should do as I have done to you." 

Heb. iv : 11 : " Lest any man fall after the same ex- 
ample of unbelief." Chapter viii : 5 : " Who serve un- 
der the example and shadow of heavenly things." 

Jas. v : 10 : " Take, my brethren, the prophets * * 
* as an example of suffering affliction and of patience." 

Matt, i: 19: Joseph was " not willing to make her 
(Mary) a public example." 

Phil, iii : 7 : " Mark them that walk so, as ye have us 
for an example." 

1 Thess. i : 7 : "Ye were examples to all in Asia." 

2 Thess. iii : 9 : " To make ourselves an example to 
you to follow us." 

1 Peter v: 3 : " But being examples to the flock." 

2 Peter ii : 6 : " An example to those who should af- 
terwards live ungodly." 

See also Josh, xxii : 28 : Pattern of the altar. Ex. 
xxv . 9 : " Pattern of Tabernacle, and verse 40. Titus 
ii : 7 : " Thyself a pattern of good works." Heb. viii : 
5, Heb. ix : 23 : Patterns of things in the heavens." 1 
Tim. i : 16. God had mercy on Paul, the chief of sin- 
ners, " for a pattern," or an encouraging example to 
other great sinners. Judges vii : 17: Gideon said to his 
three hundred s " Look on me, and do likewise." "As 
I do so shall ye do." But it should be enough to know 
that Paul commands, entreats, and exhorts his brethren 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 417 

to copy his example. As 1 Cor. iv : 16: "I beseech 
you, he ye followers of me." Chapter xi : 2: "Be ye 
followers of me, even as I am also of Christ." Phil. 
iii: 17: "Brethren be ye followers together (unitedly,) 
of me, and mark them which walk so, for ye have us 
for an example." 

We have, therefore, only to understand what and 
how God's inspired servants did, in the Christian econ- 
omy, to know what and how we should do, so far as we 
are able. This is an infallible guide; and to depart 
from it is to presume that we are wiser than they. Only 
one class of things can be an exception to this rule, viz : 
Means, implements and opportunities which they did 
not have ; as the use of electricity, steam, the printing 
press, railroads, improved machinery for locomotion and 
mechanical arts, etc. They used the best they had for 
travel, for the multiplication of manuscripts, for con- 
veying materials, information, doing work, etc.; and 
hence we conclude that they would have used better 
ones — ours or others — had they possessed them. But 
what they had, or could have had, and did not use, we 
conclude they intentionally refused and rejected; as in- 
strumental music in worship. They had this and used 
it elsewhere, but never in their worship. This was one 
of the radical changes in their worship. They were ac- 
customed to it in their temple worship; but they never 
used it in Christian worship. They could have found 
special missionary, benevolent, social and financial so- 
cieties and organizations, besides the church ; but they 
did not. Hence, we conclude that they rejected all 
these, and would now, for the same reasons. They rec- 
ognized and were obedient to civil governments. This 
and their congregational organization and church work 
were all they had ; and with these they were " complete 
27 



418 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

in Christ." Besides the "bishops and deacons, they could 
have had a hired preacher, a special pastor in each 
congregation, to " take charge of the congregation ; " 
but they did not. Hence we conclude that they would 
not have these now — and we will not. If they could 
ever be needed, they were needed then, when the Chris- 
tian system was undeveloped, and few persons had even 
a single one of the New Testament books. In fact, they 
did need evangelical aid for a time, and they had it ; as 
when Titus was in Crete, and Timothy was at Ephesus 
— till elders could be qualified, and the congregations 
set in order — not any longer. Now, with our complete 
and abundant Bibles, congregations should not be so de- 
pendent on evangelists, even at their beginning, though 
they may profit by their aid for a time, if they will do 
as the apostolic evangelists did. 

The first churches might have had a general organi- 
zation, or confederation of the congregations, or preach- 
ers and bishops, as a court of appeals, and for the gen- 
eral management of the common interests of Christians ; 
but they did not. There is not the slightest allusion, or 
intimation, or act, from which any thing of the kind 
could be inferred, in all the New Testament. Hence, 
we conclude that, all this is rejected, and would now be 
rejected by the apostles and first Christians were they 
living. If such an organization was not needed then, it 
cannot be needed now. If the system was complete, 
and the gospel could spread and triumph then without 
such organizations, etc., there can be no good reason 
why we should have them now — and we will not. 

There is not the least intimation that the present pop- 
ular textuary style of preaching was adopted by any 
one of the early Christians, before the world or the 
church, even once. Hence, we conclude they rejected 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 419 

this style, and would now, if living ; and we reject it, 
because we cannot presume to improve upon the style 
of inspired apostles and prophets. 

Whatever may be said of the Jews, there is not an 
instance on record, since the beginning of the gospel 
dispensation, where any Christian stood up to pra}^ 
They no doubt prayed standing and Avalking, and lying 
down ; but they never stood up any more than they 
laid down, or walked in order to pray; yet they did 
kneel down to pray, even " on the sea shore." Acts xx : 
36; xxi : 5, etc. Hence, we conclude that they rejected 
standing, as a suitable bodily attitude for prayer. Cer- 
tainly they might have used it, especially " on the sea 
shore;" but they did not. And no one can while 
obeying Paul's command to imitate him, because he did 
not. 

This argument must be regarded as valid and final by 
candid investigators and truth lovers. We are bound, 
by the highest authority, to copy the apostolic example, 
so far as we can, and to stop where they stopped in the 
use of means, and in all they might have done. One 
using what they did not have — as steam, the printing 
press, railroads, etc., is to be determined on principle. 

They did use the best they had of the things belong- 
ing to this class, and hence we conclude they would 
have used these — and would now. But we are forever 
estopped as to the use of the things they had, and re- 
fused to use; as to the things they might have done, 
and did not, and as to all the things offensive to the 
brethren, and not necessary to the worship. These are 
all plain and authoritative to the candid and faithful. 

THE AUTHORITY OF EXAMPLE. 

We have what the apostles did, and the repeated and 
positive command to copy their example. We have all 



420 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

been taught that "actions speak louder than words." 
Here we have both the words and actions, or examples 
— the examples and the commands to "go and do thou 
likewise." And we have only this example, enforced by 
this command, For observing the Lord's day. If we are 
asked why we observe the first day of the week, we are 
compelled to answer, because, the first Christians, under 
the teaching and guidance of the apostles, did so. We 
have no other authority. There is no direct command, 
as there was to the Jews to observe the Sabbath. Here, 
then, we recognize the authority of example. If we are 
asked why we observe it as we do, we have to answer 
again, because the first Christians observed it in this 
way. We have no other authority. There is no direct 
command to observe it in this way. Of the Lord's sup- 
per, Jesus did say, " do this in memory of me," but he 
did not say do it on the first day of the week, as a part 
of the manner of observing the Lord's day; and we 
have no authority for this way of observing this day, 
or for observing this day at all, except the authority of 
inspired example. 

Nor have we any direct command that every congre- 
gation should have bishops and deacons. We are sim- 
ply taught that Paul, Timothy, Titus, etc., did ordain 
elders in each congregation— not that every congrega- 
tion had these — not that all to the end of time should 
have them. Paul commanded Titus, while setting in 
order the churches in Crete, to ordain elders in every 
city with certain restrictions ; Paul did this himself in 
a few other churches ; and the church at Philippi had 
bishops and deacons. And from this we conclude that 
every congregation, in all time, should have the same 
— and no more, because these had no more, and no 
other ofiicers or organization. We cannot imagine that 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 421 

one can ever do better than to copy their example — 
1 laving what they had, so far as we can, and doing what 
they did, so far as we are able — and stopping when they 
Stopped. Thus we have two of the most important 
matters — the Lord's day and the organization of the 
congregations, on the authority of example. We are 
commanded to imitate them. 

We are not commanded to preach jnst as Paid preach- 
ed, except in the command to follow, or imitate him. 
But if we had not this command, who can presume to 
improve on Paul's style of preaching? If some really 
do this, they would still not like to admit that they 
think they are wiser and can improve on Paul. With 
these facts and principles before us, we can easily de- 
termine 

THE BEST WAY TO SPREAD THE GOSI EL. 

The very best way to "preach the gospel to every 
creature " is the apostolic way, with the limitations and 
restrictions noted. We cannot improve upon the in- 
spired mariner in which the first Christians did this, if 
we were at liberty to try, and had sufficient vanity and 
self-conceit. But the command to copy their example 
leaves us no option, except as we are not able, (as in 
working miracles.) Steam, electricity, the press, etc., can 
only be used in accordance with the great principles and 
spirit of the gospel. Their example limits and bounds 
our liberty and our duty. We must preach as they 
pre ached, live as they lived, suffer as they suffered, etc., 
or their example is nothing to us. But it is authorita- 
tive. And let us remember that we have no more right 
to go beyond the authority of this example than we 
have to come short of it. If Balaam could say: "I 
cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God to do 
less or more," (Num. xxii : 18,) surely we should say 



422 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

this. God's word was not any more sacred then than it 
is now ; and we have no more liberties with it than 
Balaam had. If we think we have, we shall find our 
mistake as he found his. Let us, therefore, feel as if the 
apostles said to each one of us : " Look on us, and do as 
we do," as Gideon said to his little army. 

WHAT WAS THE APOSTOLIC PLAN FOR MISSION WORK ? 

Soon after receiving the great commission, the disci- 
ples — about one hundred and twenty — commenced their 
work, at Jerusalem, on the day of Pentecost first fol- 
lowing the crucifixion of Jesus, our paschal lamb. If 
the commission was given especially to the apostles, 
they extended it to all the disciples, in some measure, at 
]east ; for they all took part in the grand work. In 
their first battle with the king's enemies, they captured 
three thousand. The second increased the number to 
about Hve thousand. Then Peter and John were im- 
prisoned. (Acts 2nd and 3rd chapters.) But they were 
soon released, and the work went on. The same year, 
probably, the seven deacons of tables were appointed, 
and Stephen was stoned to death. The second year, ' 
(A. D. 34,) persecution raged, and Saul was a leader in 
it, but was converted near its close, or early in the third 
year. In the second year, Philip, one of the seven, went 
to Samaria, so far as we are authorized to say, volun- 
tarily ; and many were baptized. Then Philip preached 
to the eunuch, and baptized him, (chapter 8.) Prob- 
ably only a few weeks afterwards, " they " (the apostles,) 
"sent to them (the Samaritans) Peter and John," evi- 
dently, to teach them their Christian duties,' etc. Here, 
then, we have two missions ; one voluntary, (Philip's,) the 
others, Peter and John, sent by the other apostles. 
Peter " passes through all quarters," and is found at 
Joppa, and is sent for by Cornelius, about A. D. 41, eight 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 423 

years after the beginning. Paul began to preach im- 
mediately on his conversion, and was sent by the breth- 
ren to Tarsus. Acts ix : 30. 

"The brethren" sent Paul — perhaps for his safety; 
but Paul was not idle. And some of those scattered 
abroad by persecution, traveled as far as Phenice, Cy- 
prus and Antioch, preaching the word to the Jews only. 
(Acts xi: 19-21, etc.) "But some of them, from Cy- 
prus and Cyrene, when they reached Antioch, preached 
to the Gentiles, and a great number turned to the 
Lord." This was, probably, the same year Cornelius 
was baptized. Xews of this success at Antioch, just 
after Peter had assured them that it was right for the 
Gentiles to have the gospel, the church at Jerusalem sent 
Barnabas to Antioch, who, besides teaching the con- 
verts their Christian duties, " added much people to the 
Lord." Acts xi : 22-30. Here again the church sends a 
man — Barnabas, who acts on both parts of the apostol- 
ic commission. Barnabas remained there probably be- 
tween one and two years, and then went to Tarsus for 
Saul, and brought him to Antioch, and they remained a 
whole year laboring there. 

In the meantime the disciples were called Christians 
here, for the first time. This brings us to A. D. 43. 
Then the prophet Agabus, from Jerusalem, informed 
these zealous Gentile Christians, that there was to be "a 
great dearth throughout all the world, which came to 
pass in the days of Claudius Caesar," who was the 
fourth lvoman Emperor, from A. D. 41 to 54. Believ- 
ing this prophecy, the disciples determined unanimously 
to send relief to the brethren in Judea. The dearth was 
to reach all lands, but it seems to have reached Judea 
first, and it afforded them an opportunity to show their 
love for their Jewish brethren, and their faith in the 



424 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

providence of God, when the dearth should reach them. 
u Every one, according to his ability," took part in this 
voluntary good work. This contribution they sent to 
the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. That is, 
they sent Barnabas and Saul to carry it. They went as 
the messengers of the church at Antioch, and delivered 
the gift to the elders (at Jerusalem) though it was for the 
suffering in all Judea. The elders received it, and 
doubtless, distributed it to the needy throughout Judea. 
Here is one church voluntarily raising funds for their 
brethren, choosing and sending messengers, and another 
church co-operating in the good work, by receiving the 
funds and distributing them. This church co-operation, 
by messengers, began about ten or eleven years after the 
gospel began. And if one should say that any part of 
this work was not apostolic work, evangelistic work, 
church work, and missionary work, he would be saying 
that these brethren and churches were out of their 
places; that they had transcended their commission. 
Certainly it was in the commission, or it was not; and 
if it was not, then they had, so far, left the work in- 
cluded in their commission, to do another work. But 
this they did not do. Hence the inevitable conclusion 
that, aiding the poor, as by a public table at Jerusalem, 
when this was needed, raising funds, appointing messen- 
gers to carry them, churches co-operating in distribut- 
ing them, etc., were all in the commission, and were 
severally duties of the apostles and early evangelists 
and churches, and must be duties now. This is the way 
they proceeded, and the way we are commanded to pro- 
ceed, and must proceed, if we copy their example. 

At Antioch, A. D. 45, we find, besides Paul and Bar- 
nabas, Simeon, Lucius and Manaen, who were " prophets 
and teachers." And " as they ministered to the Lord, 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 425 

and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, separate me Barnabas 
and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 
When they had fasted, and prayed, and laid their hands 
on them, they sent them away." Acts xiii : 1-3. 

" They sent them away " is, by some, understood to 
mean that the five " prophets and teachers" sent them. 
But two of the live were the persons sent. This would 
not read well. The idea is, that the church sent them. 
" Now there were in the church that was at Antioch cer- 
tain prophets and teachers," etc., verse 1. The whole 
five were in the church, and no special class of people in 
any church acted independently of the church in which 
they were. The Holy Spirit sent them, through the 
agency of the church, and the sending is attributed to 
the church and to the Holy Spirit ; but never to a spe- 
cial, privileged, or superior class in the church. Here, 
then, is another case of a church sending out evangelists. 
This was Paul's first great — foreign missionary tour. 
They were gone, according to the common chronology, 
five or six years. They visited Selecia, Cyprus, Salamis, 
Paphos, Perga, Antioch, (in Pisidia,) Iconium, Lystra, 
Derbe and Perga. But they finally returned to Antioch, 
having suffered much, and accomplished a great work, 
and reported to the church which sent them. Acts xiv : 
27, 28. Had they been sent by a committee or board, 
they would have reported to that committee or board. 
And, is it not remarkable, that, to this time, there is not 
a word said about the salary of any of the persons sent ; 
and there is not in this case. Were they really indiffer- 
ent as to this ? By no means. Paul taught that " those 
who preach the gospel should live of the gospel." He 
did not say they shall ; and Paul did not always so live ; 
but they " ought to live of the gospel," as the priests 
lived of their work. 



426 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

If Paul and Barnabas were too zealous and venture- 
some, and so all the others, up to this time, we may pre- 
sume that they have by this time learned a lesson, and 
in the future, will see that their salaries are sufficiently 
large and well secured. Do not such men as Paul and Silas 
deserve large and well-secured salaries ? Let us see if they 
ever changed their course in this particular, or what is 
said of their salaries. 

In A. D. 51, Paul and Barnabas are at Antioch for a 
long time, laboring to settle some difficulties in the church. 
Acts xv : 1-4. Failing in this, the church selected 
Paul, Barnabas, and " certain others," to go as her mes- 
sengers, to "the apostles, and elders and brethren at Je- 
rusalem" about this matter. " Being brought on their 
way by the church," is understood to mean that, the 
church, which chose and sent them, paid their way. 
This was natural and scriptural, and is the first reference 
of the kind. But this cannot mean what we now call 
a salary. 

When they reached Jerusalem, " they were received 
of 'the church, and of the apostles and elders." And 
they met and duly considered the matters of difficulty. 
Verse 22 says : " Then pleased it the apostles and eld- 
ers, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their 
own company to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas; 
namely, Judas, surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief 
men among the brethren. And they wrote letters by 
them," etc. 

Here let us note : 1. This is another case of church 
co-operation. In this instance it pertains to what we 
usually call discipline, or " discord among brethren." In 
the former case, it pertains to caring for the poor. 2. 
Both co-operations were by messengers. 3. The churches 
chose their own messengers. 4. They wrote letters; 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 427 

giving us authority for this, and for any more rapid 
way of spreading news that is just. 5. When they 
reached Antioch, the writing was read — before the multi- 
tude — not before a select class or committee. 6. The 
messengers did more than bear their testimony in accord 
svith the writing, " They exhorted the brethren with 
many words, and confirmed them." 7. Finally, they 
departed in peace, except " it pleased Silas to abide there 
still." (Acts xv.) "Paul also, and Barnabas continued 
in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the 
Lord, with many others also." Verses 34, 35. There 
was work there for many evangelists, and they worked 
jointly and happily together, till the work was done. 
This was co-operation in preaching and teaching. 8. 
Even in the presence of miraculous power, as in choos- 
ing the seven, Acts vi, the whole multitude acted for them- 
selves. They never invoked miraculous aid when the 
power they had was sufficient. The preachers could not 
choose their messengers or other servants for them, and 
the apostles would not. This was the work of the 
church, like receiving and excluding members, etc. 9. 
These messengers, preachers and apostles, all departed, 
when they had accomplished their work, leaving the 
church with her own officers, to do her own work. 
They remained only long enough to establish the cause 
and set in order the churches, preaching to the world, 
meantime as appeared best. The sacred rights of the 
churches were always respected even by the apostles. 
Evangelists have enough to do in their own field, and 
should confine themselves to it. So the apostles did. 
What an example ! 

Without waiting for a direct command, as in the 
former case (Acts xiii : 1-5,) Paul proposed to Bar- 
nabas : 



428 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

A SECOND LONG MISSIONARY TOUR 

Acts xv : 36-41. This was a tour (1) among the 
churches in " every city where we have preached the 
word of the Lord, to see how they do." This was the 
second part of the great commission, and as clearly mis- 
sionary work as what they did on their first tour — and 
as important. Paul and Barnabas differed as to the ex- 
pediency of taking John Mark with them, because, on 
the former tour, he left them at Pamphylia ; and Barna- 
bas chose Mark, while Paul chose Silas. (2) While they 
looked after the churches, they preached the gospel to 
the world, and made many converts. 

Starting from Antioch again, they visited Syria and 
Cilicia, Derbe and Lystra, Phrygia and Galatia, Mysia, 
Troas, Neapolis, Philippi, Amphipolis and Appolonia, 
Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth, where they spent 
a year and ahalf; thence to Cenchrea, Ephesus, Cesarea, 
Jerusalem and Antioch — home. Acts xv : 40 to Acts 
xviii : 22. 

This tour must have occupied some four years, at 
least. Neither Paul nor Barnabas, or any of their help- 
ers, was chosen or sent by any churches in this instance. 
They went, as Titus went to Corinth, " of his own ac- 
cord." 2 Cor. viii : 17. Paul, though an apostle, had 
no power or right to constrain any one to go. This is 
proved by the fact that "he greatly desired Apollos to 
go " to Corinth, at a certain time, but it was not Apollos' 
will to go at that time. He would go at his own chosen 
time. 1 Cor. xvi : 12. In all these cases we have volun- 
tary mission work. And still not a word said about 
their salaries ! Paul had now learned what want was — 
hunger, cold, nakedness, etc., and had worked at tent 
making to support himself and fellow laborers. It was 
while he was in Thessalonica that the Philippians " sent 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 429 

once and again to supply his wants," Phil, iv: 16; and 
it was still later that they sent Epaphroditus to Rome to 
carry to him their liberality. 

Paul went trusting in God, taking his chances for 
a living. The idea of a salary never seems to have en- 
tered his mind. And so of his co-laborers. Nor do 
we find that they ever used miraculous power to secure 
food and raiment. Their miraculous power rendered 
them no service here, and they were, as to a living, just 
as missionaries, and all preachers are now. What an 
example for us ! Such are the facts, till we come to — 

Paul's third great missionary tour. 

This commenced probably in the latter part of 56, and 
he had Timothy with him. Starting again from Antioch 
(in Syria,) he spent on it about four more years. The 
history of this tour is found in Acts xviii : 23, to Acts 
xxi : 23. They visited Galatia and Phrygia, Ephesus, 
where he remained over two years. Macedonia, Greece, 
Philippi, Troas, Assos, Mitylene, Trogyllium, Miletus, 
Patara, Tyre, Ptolemais, Cesarea — Jerusalem, where he 
was taken prisoner, and so, we presume, hindered from 
reporting again at Antioch, his headquarters and his 
home church, which first sent him out. 

paul's fourth great missionary tour. 

The history of this is found in Acts 21st chapter to 
close of 28th. It occupied about five years; some two 
years in Jerusalem and Cesarea, one year on the jour- 
ney to Rome, and two years in Rome. In this case, no 
church sent him ; nor could we say he went voluntarily, 
though he preferred going to Rome to being judged by 
the Jews. He was carried — a prisoner in the hands of 
his enemies. Perhaps we might say, God sent him, and 
that the Roman governor sent him. At any rate, he 



430 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

went, and he did good missionary work on the way, and 
all the time, both for the world and the church. His 
salary on this mission was much as formerly. He got 
much suffering. The Philippians did send him some 
aid, by Epaphroditus, while he was at Rome. 

After this we have little that is clear and full concern- 
ing Paul's labors. He probably saw his old brethren, 
and then died at Rome, a martyr. But our rule requires 
us to stop where the Bible stops, and does not allow 
much for conjecture. 

This brief outline of apostolic evangelization enables 
us to see how the gospel was first preached. It would 
not be a compliment to Paul, or to inspiration, to say 
that, in all this, there was no flan; that everything was 
at loose ends, and proceeded in a hap-hazzard way ! No, 
they had a well-defined plan. As with great military 
leaders, the plan of the campaign was not known to the 
rank and file before they started, nor very well as they 
passed along. But in the end, they could all look back 
and see it. Alas! for those who cannot now see the 
apostolic and divine plan for doing mission work! 
And alas! alas! ! alas ! ! ! for those who say there is no 
divine plan ! As well might they say there was and is 
no plan for observing the Lord's day, for the govern- 
ment and shepherding of the churches, for raising 
money, and for aiding the suffering ! Perhaps it might 
be said that, at the beginning, Paul had no plan, except 
to submit himself to the guiding hand of the God he 
served. For he had learned that, " Man deviseth his 
way, but the Lord directeth his steps." Prov. xvi : 9 ; 
Jer. x : 23. " Commit thy way to the Lord ; trust also 
in him ; and he shall bring it to pass." Ps. xxxvii : 5. 
Earthly parents can care for their children, without a 
miracle, but some writers imagine that our adored 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 431 

Father in heaven does not now provide, direct and de- 
fend his children because they think miracles have 
ceased. 

God had a plan. " Known unto God are all his works 
from the beginning of the world." Acts xv : 18. And 
his policy and plan are fully 'made known " to the sons 
of men in the lives and labors of his servants, and his 
care for them also. By copying these we are assimilated 
to God, to his ancient and eminent servants, and are 
made useful and fitted for his presence and glory. Those 
who suppose they can improve on God's plan, thus devel- 
oped, must be greatly wrong in faith, in mind, or in heart, 
or in all three. Yet the prevailing custom to-day is, to 
act just as if we could improve on the divine and apos- 
tolic example ; that is, on the New Testament ! And 
those who try earnestly, and in all things, to walk in 
these divine paths of light, are regarded as far behind 
the progress of the age ! They, however, are content in 
it and with it. They would progress in it, by it, with it; 
not beyond it, not without it, or on any " improved " plan. 
This is the grand issue of the day, and deserves all atten- 
tion. Let us follow it in all things, stop where it stops, 
and hear the scorn of those who, pretending to do so, go 
beyond, add to, take from, and alter at will the divine 
plan, just as they would one of human origin! ! ! 



CHAPTER XXV. 

Church Co-operation.— Must have direct precept, apostolic exam- 
ple, or necessary inference ; raising funds for the poor and dis- 
bursing them missionary work ; how Paul did both ; churches 
did co-operate in choosing a man to travel with Paul to raise the 
funds; they must have proceeded in an orderly and business-like 
way, and we must ; the time, place and detailed manner not be- 
ing given nothing against the facts— an example; they had mes- 
sengers, who could carry their will as well as their money ; we 
go as far as the record goes, and there stop, and hence have no 
humanly organized societies on a money basis ; what we have cer- 
tainly found— 13 items; what we have certainly not found— 10 
items; the finances of the church— how they collected money, by 
special collections, pledges, and especially by weekly contribu- 
tions; excuses and objections; conclusion of the whole matter. 

It seems to be settled and agreed, among intelligent 
and candid investigators, that for all acts of worship, 
and for all conditions of union, pardon and salvation, 
we must have divine authority. It is agreed, also, that in 
obtaining that authority, we must look entirely to the 
Bible. We cannot get it by dreams, new revelations, 
mental emotions, or physical feelings. It is further 
agreed that, when we come to the Bible, we must have — 

1. A direct precept ; or 

2. An apostolic or primitive example; or 

3. A necessary inference. An inference not necessary, is 
doubtful, and unauthoritative. 

The precepts and examples we have considered and 
exemplified. In the synopsis of the first evangelization 
of the world, we saw church co-operation. 1. In rais- 
ing funds for the destitute and suffering. 2. In sending 
these funds. 3. In disbursing these funds in Judea 
(432) 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 433 

through the elders in Jerusalem. This Paul evidently 
regarded as apostolic and evangelistic work ; for he did 
not turn aside from his apostleship, and yet he led in 
this. So did Titus and others. 4. The churches in 
Antioch and Jerusalem co-operated in settling a diffi- 
culty, and so removing a hindrance to the gospel and 
the prosperity of the disciples. Hence, we infer that 
they co-operated in sending out evangelists or mission- 
aries. This inference seems legitimate and necessary. 
What other conclusion could we jwssibly come to from 
the fact that they co-operated in other matters of no 
graver importance ? 

This conclusion is inevitable from a second considera- 
tion, viz. All Christians were of one family ; all were 
brethren, and had the same care one for another ; they 
loved each other as they loved themselves. They were 
all laborers in the same heavenly vineyard ; all soldiers 
in the same divine army. The honor of one was the 
honor of all. The suffering of one was a calamity to 
all. They must, therefore, co-operate in every thing per- 
taining to the interests of the cause, the honor of the 
Savior, and the salvation of souls. 

A third reason for this inference is, the known and ad- 
mitted fact that many things can be done better — more 
easily and effectually — that, indeed, many things cannot 
be done at all without co-operation. In a case so plain 
we must conclude that they adopted the wiser way, when 
they could do so safely and justly. 

A fourth foundation for this inference is, the fact that, 
the churches did co-operate in " selecting a man to travel 
with Faul." 2 Cor. viii : 19. The inference is mani- 
festly necessary from this, that churches now should co- 
operate in sending out evangelists. But some have 
made efforts to explain this away. Let us, therefore, 

28 



434 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAT. 

pause long enough to consider the circumstances, facts 
and objects connected with, the fact stated. 

About A. D. 44, a single church (at Antioch,) raised 
and sent funds for the poor saints in Judea, to the elders 
at Jerusalem. About sixteen years after this, the desti- 
tution continuing, and the disciples having greatly mul- 
tiplied among the G-entiles, Paul determined to raise 
another and larger gift for the suffering saints in Judea, 
and appealed to the churches in Galatia, Macedonia and 
Achaia. In A. D. 60, Paul wrote to the church at 
Rome, and said : (See chapter xv : 26-31,) " It hath 
pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a cer- 
tain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jeru- 
salem. It hath pleased them, verily ; and their debtors 
they are," etc. Then he asks their prayers that this 
gift may be well received, and that he may be delivered 
from the unbelievers in Judea; which implies that he 
expected to carry this gift himself, knew he would be in 
danger, and had confidence in the prayers of the saints. 
His first appeal for funds seems to have been to the 
church at Corinth, A. D. 59. See 1 Cor. xvi : 1, 2. 
Here he directs them to collect their gift by the weekly 
contribution; and in verses 4 and 5, he suggests that 
they must appoint persons to carry the gift, that they 
must be recommended by a letter, and that, if necessa- 
ry, he would go with them. In A. D. 60, he wrote his 
second letter to the Corinthians, in which he refers to 
the fact that they had promised a year before to aid this 
work, and suggests his fear that they might not be 
ready, and that, in that event, both he and they would be 
ashamed, since he had boasted of their liberality, when 
appealing to the Macedonians, and their zeal had done 
much towards causing the Macedonians to be liberal ; 
and he shows that they could well afford to be liberal, 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 435 

since God would bless them for it, with increased fruit- 
age from their " seed sown." He also refers to Christ's 
example in becoming poor, that we might become rich ; 
and to the former voluntary labors of Titus at Corinth, 
etc., and then to his coming visit to them, with the mes- 
sengers on their way to carry this accumulated gift to 
Jerusalem. See 2 Cor. chapters 8 and 9. This second 
letter was carried by Titus, an unnamed brother, and 
other messengers of the churches. And though Titus 
had labored among them before, and was well known, 
as, no doubt, the unnamed brother was, yet Paul con- 
sidered it proper for him to say : "Whether any do'in- 
quire of Titus, he is my partner and fellow-helper con- 
cerning you ; or our brethren be inquired of, they are 
the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ. 
Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, 
the proof of your love, and [the propriety] of our boast- 
ing on your behalf." It was no small thing for these 
messengers to have Paul's commendation. And — "be- 
fore the churches," addressed as a command to the church 
at Corinth, plainly imjolies that the churches were to meet 
with the church at Corinth, in some way, and for some 
purpose. Otherwise, how could the church at Corinth 
make this showing " before the churches? " 

These messengers were sent on in advance of Paul 
and his company, doubtless to what we would now call 
a church co-operation meeting, on,e object of which was 
to raise fund, and have them ready at Corinth, when 
Paul should arrive, "that there be no gathering when 
1 come." 1 Cor. xvi : 2. And he adds, 2 Cor. ix : 2-5, 
" For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which 
I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was 
ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked 
very many. Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our 



436 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, 
as I said, ye may be ready; lest haply if they of Mace- 
donia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that 
we say not ye), should be ashamed in this same confi- 
dent boasting. Therefore I thought it necessary to ex- 
hort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, 
and to make up before hand your bounty, whereof ye 
had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a 
matter of bounty, and not at all of covetousness." 

All this harmonizes with the idea that there was to be 
a church co-operation at Corinth, where the gifts of all 
the churches in Achaia should be concentrated, and 
ready when Paul and his company arrived. Otherwise 
there would be no harmony, or apparent appropriateness 
in this language. But while this church co-operation 
meeting is a matter of inference, the object is a matter 
of plain record. And the most obvious meaning of 
Paul's language is rendered more plain and forcible by 
the certainty that such a meeting would be the easiest 
and most appropriate way of getting ready, and concen- 
trating the gift in question. They would also get per- 
sonally acquainted, etc. 1 Cor. xvi : 2 is not rendered 
most clearly in C. V. " The living oracles " gives most 
fully and precisely the meaning, viz : " On the first day 
of every week, let each of you lay somewhat by him- 
self, according as he may have prospered, putting it into 
the treasury, that when I come, there may be then no 
collections." 

The Greek "par 'eautootithetoo" means, "let him place 
by itself," his contribution. It does not mean at home, 
as some allege. It says nothing of place. The next 
word, theesaurizoon, gives this. It means " treasuring up." 
To store or treasure up or put into the treasury, are its 
well established meanings. See all the Lexicons. It is 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 437 

used twenty-five times in the New Testament, and 
always in this sense. The Jews had a regular treasury, 
and Jesus saw the rich and the poor casting into it. 
The antitype — the church of Christ — must needs have 
a treasury also. If we only had ton idion oikon, (which 
means at his own house or home ; 1 Tim. v : 4.) follow- 
ing par 'eaatoo tithetoo, and did not have theesauriza, " treas- 
uring up," we might translate this verse "put somewhat 
by itself" at home; and then we might put it into the 
treasury on some other day, perhaps. But at home is 
not in the verse, and no one can put it there. Putting 
something by itself is not putting it into a treasury. 
Besides, putting it by itself and keeping it at home 
would frustrate Paul's purpose in giving the order, i. e,, 
"that there may be no gatherings when I come." If it 
was in each one's home, the gathering would have to 
take place after Paul's arrival ; and then it would go 
into the hands of the messengers, and not into the treas- 
ury at all. 

The Lord's day, and around the Lord's table, next 
to the shadows of the cross, are the best time and place 
for liberality. Witnessing the sufferings of our fellow- 
mortals weakens our affections for money, and opens 
our purses. This reading is, therefore, strictly correct. 
There are two acts commanded: 1. Put something by 
itself, as in the presence of the suffering Savior. 2. Put 
it into the treasury. This latter act necessarily implies 
a treasury, and the weekly meetings. This was one 
of the four items observed from the beginning. Acts 
ii : 42. 

Now let us more carefully consider this unnamed 
brother, "who was chosen of the churches" to travel 
with Paul, and whom Paul sent forward to Corinth to 
have the gift ready. "Was chosen" refers to the past 



438 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE LAY. 

act. Perhaps it was a year before. What is said of 
him ? His " praise is in the gospel throughout all the 
churches." 2 Cor. viii : 18. "And we have sent with 
them our brother, whom we have often times proved 
diligent in many things, but now much more diligent 
upon the great confidence which I have in you." Verse 
22. This seems to refer to a third messenger who ac- 
companied Titus and this unnamed brother who had 
been, some time before, "chosen of the churches" to 
travel with Paul, and aid him in this work. Titus and 
two such men, with this second letter, would go far to 
insure the readiness of the proposed fund. They were 
all popular and well known preachers — praised in all 
the churches. Now, while the special object of the choos- 
ing of these brethren was, to aid in getting ready this gift, 
the inference is absolutely necessary that they preached 
to the world; and taught the disciples other Christian 
duties also. This is a necessary inference, because they 
were well known and much loved preachers, and were, 
doubtless, chosen on this account; and because this 
would obviously be the very best way to accomplish the 
special object of their mission. It would for many rea- 
sons, be altogether absurd to conclude that they ceased 
to preach on being appointed to this special work. Let 
it be settled, therefore, that they were preachers, and 
did the other work of evangelists wherever they went 
on this special mission. There is no evidence that they 
went with Paul to Jerusalem. The narrative shows that 
ten or a dozen brethren did go with him, but, so far as 
the record goes, these brethren did not go beyond Corinth. 
" Traveling with Paul," refers to collecting the fund — 
not to conveying it to Jerusalem. These popular evan- 
gelists would be the best agents to secure the fund. 
Others could as well aid in carrying it. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 439 

But an excellent and able brother says, by way of ob- 
jection, that "we have no account of a meeting of the 
churches to choose this man, or of the manner in which 
he was chosen." True enough. But does this prove 
they did not have such a meeting, and that they did not 
choose this man ? We have no account of a meeting to 
choose bishops for the churches, or of the special man- 
ner in which they were chosen. But we know they 
had bishops, and we know, consequently, that there 
must have been a time, place and manner of choosing 
them. We are just as certain of this as we can be that 
they had bishops. The meeting, the, time, place and 
manner are necessary inferences in both cases. It is 
enough for us to know they had them. The inference 
is, that the manner of choosing them was decent, order- 
ly and just. As well might we say there was no meet- 
ing and no plan, or order in selecting bishops and dea- 
cons, as that there was no meeting of the churches, and no 
plan or manner of choosing this man to travel with Paul. 

Here, then, is one case in which the churches co-oper- 
ated in choosing a preacher to travel with Paul. The 
time, place or manner cannot nullify the fact. The 
choosing was not at the wrong time or place or in the 
wrong manner. One such case establishes the principle 
as well as a thousand could ; and especially owing to 
the nature of the case, and the circumstances connected 
with it. Here is apostolic example for choosing. The 
necessary inference is as to the time, place and manner. 
It is a fair and necessary inference, also, that this church 
co-operation sustained the man of their choice. They 
would not demand that he should go at his own ex- 
pense, or that Paul should support him, or that any one 
church should support a man " chosen by a plurality of 
the churches." 



440 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

For two reasons, the conclusion must be that, the 
churches co-operated by their own chosen messengers : 

1. It was not practicable for them to do so in mass. 

2. We see they had messengers, and sent them on 
many occasions, as appears in our synopsis of their early 
work, and as appears in first of Revelation in the seven 
churches of Asia, etc. These messengers were never 
law makers; they were not properly delegates. They 
carried funds, words of cheer and comfort, etc., and did 
specific things : such as choosing a man to travel with 
Paul, and any other specified service. "When James, 
Cephas and John^ agreed to give Paul and Barnabas the 
right hand of fellowship, as laborers among the Gen- 
tiles, they charged them especially to "remember the 
poor, the same which I also was forward to do." Gal. 
ii : 9, 10. The unnamed brother " chosen by the church- 
es," was to do all the work of an evangelist, but he was 
especially to look after the fund for the poor ; he was 
the traveling agent of the churches, to attend especially 
to this work, while he preached and taught as others 
did. So, the ancient messengers always had special works 
to perform ; but they were never sent to make laws for the 
churches. Jesus Christ did that to perfection, through 
the apostles, by the inspiration of the Spirit. 

Thus we see that co-opeaation is natural, scriptural 
and necessary. And hence, when the churches have 
failed to co-operate in missionary work, and other 
works necessary for the promotion of the gospel, indi- 
viduals have got up humanly devised and organized so- 
cieties for these ends. Let the churches meet, by their 
messengers, and co-operate in every good work, orderly, 
justly and wisely, and all who are in seeing distance will 
soon be convinced not only that everything to be done 
by the churches can be done this way, and without any 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 441 

humanly organized society, but that this is far superior 
to all other ways, just as all God's ways are superior to 
man's ways. Why should not God's way succeed bet- 
ter now ? It did succeed better anciently. The com- 
mission to preach the gospel to every creature was re- 
ceived by about one hundred and twenty disciples, A.D. 
33, and in A.D. 64, Paul writes to the Colossians and 
affirms that it had then been done. See Col. i : 6, 23. 
Four years before, A.D. 60, he said to the Romans : 
" Their works had gone to the ends of the world." 
Rom. x : 18. That is, in twenty-six or seven years, a 
few poor disciples, while opposed by the Greek and 
Roman world, by " the world, the flesh and the devil," 
" as a roaring lion," succeded in preaching the pure, 
simple gospel " to every creature under heaven," in the 
very language and Spirit of the Savior ! And with no 
humanly organized society — with no society or organi- 
zation but that found in each congregation of disciples 
— bishops and deacons ; except as the churches volunta- 
rily co-operated as we have seen. Where is the human 
missionary society that has succeeded a tenth part as 
well ? It is absolutely no where on record, and not in 
existence to be put on record ! With what face, then, 
or what show of reason can any one plead for human 
societies ! ! ! Almost as well could Baal's prophets plead 
for Baal ! Indeed, several of the best informed and 
warmest friends of humanly organized missionary so- 
cieties, have undertaken to show that these societies are 
complete failures ! And it cannot be denied, that every 
convert made by them has cost an amount of money so 
far beyond all primitive example, and all reasonable 
necessity, as to greatly discourage all concerned. 

Another feature here deserves notice, viz : God's an- 
cient church missions made only Christians; never de- 



442 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY, 

nominations; while these make Methodists, Baptists, 
Presbyterians, etc.; build up sects and parties, and pro- 
mote strife among those who, if they are really convert- 
ed to Christ, ought to he " of one heart and one soul." 
The Bible knows no more of these several churches 
than it does of these missionary societies. No man 
would ever think of one of either from reading the 
Bible. 

Let us come back to the Bible in everything. True 
Christians cannot be content with the best that ever can 
be done on man's plans. They cost too much, are too 
slow, and do not unite God's people, or make their con- 
verts like the first Christians. Let us go back and copy 
their example. Are we not repeatedly commanded to 
do so ? Our zeal for God and for souls should cause us 
to turn away from all humanisms in religion, and carry 
us back to apostolic days. If the object was to furnish 
employment for people, at good wages, we might look 
after human organizations. But if we would honor 
God and save souls, we must work after the divine 
pattern. 

If the progress of the age has gone beyond apostolic 
example in mission work, the New Testament organiza- 
tion and government of the churches, the ancient music 
in the worship, etc., then may we listen to the infidel 
who claims that this age has progressed beyond the rest 
of the Bible also, and that we should get a new suit, 
cap a pie ! Why patch up the old garment ? Why put 
new wine into old and worn-out bottles? And who 
could answer? No! Ten thousand times 1ST0 ! This 
progression beyond the Bible, and contrary to it, under 
the spacious plea of "keeping abreast of the times," 
using " sanctified common sense," doing the work of the 
church " on business principles," etc., (as if the Bible was 



LIVE REL1GI0 US ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 443 

not the best business book on earth !) would lead us to 
Babylon — to infidelity! And it is time we were exam- 
ining the road we are in. Improving the gospel, or 
anything in it, would be like improving Jesus Christ! 
There is no wisdom in man or for man, poor, frail and 
sinful as he is, to compare with accepting Christ, the 
crucified, in humble, hearty obedience to his gospel, 
getting into the straight and narrow way behind Paul, 
and walking in his footsteps as closely as we can. 
" There is a way that seemeth right unto man, but the 
end thereof are the ways of death." Prov. xiv : 12; 
xvi : 25. Paul's way leads to the heavenly Jerusalem 
now, as it did anciently ; and, thank God, is not closed 
or barred ! ]N~or is it in the power of man to close it, or 
obstruct our travel to it. We may forsake God's law, 
as the prophet did at Bethel, 1 Kings 13th chapter, es- 
pecially verse 18. Let us "search for the old paths 
and walk therein," the " old high way of holiness." 
"Be not deceived." "God is not mocked." "He that 
soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption." 
Come back, walk in the old way and live. The wrong 
road never leads to the right place. Beware ! 

WHAT WE HAVE CERTAINLY FOUND. 

It may be well to note here distinctly, some of the 
things certainly established in this investigation. 

I. Distinguishing between incidentals and acts of 
worship, we have certainly seen that, in divine worship, 
we must have divine authority; and all incidental mat- 
ters must correspond with this. It will not do for us to 
throw the burden of proof on others, saying prove that 
this or that is wrong. We must prove that it is right 
before we do it, or require others to do it, or to hear it. 
We must be "fully assured," (Rom. xiv: 5, 23,) and 



444 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

have no doubts of its scripturalness. " He that doubt- 
eth is damned" — condemned — "if he eat," or if he do 
anything else, of this class when he is not certain it is 
the will of God. It is both dangerous and sinful to 
walk in the dark here. In other matters we may be in 
doubt, but in worship we must walk in the light or not 
at all. 

II. "We have certainly found that primitive example 
is as authoritative as apostolic precept. It is positively 
enjoined upon us. To know what the primitive Chris- 
tians did, and how they proceeded, under the direction 
of the apostles, is, therefore, to know how we should 
proceed, and what we should try to do. This is our 
rule. 

III. We have no more right to " go beyond the word 
of the Lord," than we have to stop short of it. Num. 
xxii: 18, 28; xxiv : 13; 1 Kings xxii : 14. "What 
hath the Lord spoken ? " " How readest thou ? " 
Luke x : 26. 

IV. We have found that a large number of the mis- 
sionaries went of their own accord, i. e., voluntarily, 
having only the general authority of the Savior, " go 
preach the gospel," and the approbation of their breth- 
ren. 

V. We have found that single congregations often 
chose and sent messengers, or missionaries ; as when 
the church at Jerusalem sent Peter and John to Sama- 
ria, Barnabas to Antioch, and afterwards Judas and 
Silas to Antioch. Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas, and 
others to Jerusalem ; and Antioch sent out two foreign 
missionaries, who returned and reported to the church 
— not to a special board. 

VI. We have seen that congregations co-operated in 
raising and distributing funds for the relief of the poor, 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 445 

the elders in Jerusalem receiving the funds, at the 
hands of the messengers, and disbursing them to the 
poor in Judea — not in Jerusalem only. 

VII. AVe have seen that the congregations at Anti- 
och and Jerusalem co-operated, by their messengers, in 
settling a serious difficulty, not only at Antioch, but be- 
tween the Jews and Gentiles generally; and that the 
presence of the apostles and the miraculous power of the 
Spirit, did not supercede the participation of the elders 
and the whole church in that case, and that the decision 
went out from the elders and the church, as well as from 
the apostles. Acts xv. 

VIII. If we follow these examples, then all the con- 
gregations in a given region will raise funds, under the 
prompting of some agent or agents, like Paul and Titus, 
will choose messengers, and send the funds to the eld- 
ers of some central congregation, who will disburse 
them wisely and justly; and, when serious difficulties 
disturb, or threaten the peace or prosperity of the 
church, messengers will be chosen by the several con- 
gregations, who will meet with some one congregation 
and consult, and confer as to what may be scriptural 
and best." " In the multitude of counsellors there is 
safety," comparatively at least. Prov. xi : 14 ; xv : 22 : 
" Without counsel purposes are disappointed ; but in the 
multitude of counsellors they are established." These 
councils are not to make laws ; but to determine matters 
of expediency under the laws. ' The danger in these 
councils is, that they will transcend their bounds, espe- 
cially if controlled by preachers. The history of the 
church, as appears elsewhere in this volume, shows that 
the preachers did usurp authority over the churches to 
the destruction of congregational independence, the 
government of the church, etc. And the strong ten- 



446 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

dency is in this direction now. Preachers' meetings 
are, therefore, generally dangerous. Indeed, while the 
lawfulness of large annual or other gatherings of the 
disciples is clear and plain, their expediency is "becoming 
more douhtful. The disciples, bishops and deacons can 
meet and confer with safety and great profit ; but when- 
ever preachers and preacher influence and management 
prevail, evil results follow. Hence, many excellent dis- 
ciples have doubted the propriety of such meetings now, 
because the preachers will run them in their personal 
interests, and for the introduction of corrupting and 
divisive innovations. At this point individual judgment 
must prevail. We are the freed children of God. 
Sometimes they may be best; sometimes not. The 
cause prospered well for some twenty -five years before 
there was any such meeting; and it is prospering now, 
in many localities without them. Sometimes even more 
than where they are held. It prospered in the early 
days of this reformation without them and can now. 

But all blessings have been abused, and nothing is to 
be refused entirely on this account. The presence of 
the apostles and miraculous power in the council at Je- 
rusalem cannot supercede the necessity of such councils 
now when they may safely be held. Their presence 
rather intensifies this necessity. If the council of the 
elders and the whole church was necessary with these, 
is it not more necessary without them ? But let it be a 
council of the elders and churches, not dominantly of 
the preachers, especially those of the modern kind, who 
are always looking out primarily for their salaries, as 
we know the ancient preachers did not. These look 
first for their salaries— and large ones, also! Those 
looked just for souls, and were willing to suffer, if need 
be, and trust in God. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 447 

IX. We have certainly seen that a plurality of con- 
gregations co-operated in choosing a man to travel with 
Paul, whose special mission was to aid in raising funds 
for the poor saints, though he, like Paul, did also the 
other work of an evangelist. 

X. And we have seen that our knowing the time, 
place or minutia of this choosing, is rather against the 
fact clearly stated; since we are no wiser as to the time 
and particulars of the choosing of "bishops and deacons 
by individual churches, we are assured it was in a de- 
cent, orderly and just way. This is true expediency — 
the best way of doing a lawful thing. The lawfulness 
of this we have seen. Its expediency is largely left to 
the churches — when they are able to choose and send 
out a home or foreign missionary, and the time and 
place of meeting, precisely how the choice shall be 
made, etc. 

XI. We have seen that they did not need and did not 
have any organization we would now call a society; 
that they had no organization or board, except as de- 
cency and order required, in the meetings of messen- 
gers of the churches ; that all that was necessary to the 
end in view was lawful; and that no more could be law- 
ful or expedient. Having more organizations, officers 
and formalities than necessity demands, is going beyond 
law, and must be highly inexpedient. All these are 
human and anti-divine! All that is necessary is divine. 
But this, like other features of the gospel system, is 
very simple. Messengers of churches assemble. They 
may need a chairman, secretary and treasurer, and pos- 
sibly committees for special parts of the work contem- 
plated; or they may not need these. Sometimes they 
do not. When they are needed, then they are lawful, 
because all that is really necessary to the doing of a 



448 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

command is in the command, and has the same author- 
ity the command has. But nothing beyond real neces- 
sity is lawful, or can ever be expedient. And that no 
more than what are here enumerated can be necessary, 
lawful or expedient, is proved beyond question by this. 

XII. We have seen that the first Christians, our pat- 
tern, succeeded in preaching the gospel to every crea- 
ture in less than thirty years. So long as we judge 
men and things by their results we are compelled to 
conclude that this plan — their plan — God's plan — was, 
and is, beyond all comparison the best plan. The cause 
of our failure in mission work is, our departure from this 
plan. All the talk about regularity, business rules, as- 
surance of permanency, etc., is like all the other objec- 
tions to God, and his ways, inexcusably absurd, unlaw- 
ful and inexpedient. What is more orderly than the 
gospel ? What is more business like ? What is so per- 
manent as "the church of God, the pillar and support 
of the truth?" What is so reliable as the promise of 
God ? Surely human societies and human promises are 
not to be compared with these. 

XIII. We have certainly found the duty of evange- 
lists, or missionaries. At least we have found what 
both the apostles and ancient evangelists did ; and either 
these were their duties or they left off their duties in 
order to do them. Their whole time, talents, and ener- 
gies were demanded and pledged ; and if they turned 
aside from them to do other things, then they were not 
faithful apostles, evangelists or preachers. But they 
were faithful. And, therefore, what they did, belonged 
to the work of apostles and evangelists. And the dut- 
ies of ancient evangelists are the duties of evangelists 
now. There is no other certain way of denning and 
circumscribing the duties of evangelists now. (1) They 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 449 

preached the gospel and baptized believers. (2) They 
founded and set in order congregations. (3) They aided 
in settling difficulties in the congregations, as servants, 
not as bishops, pastors or lords. (4) They spent days, 
weeks, and sometimes months, aiding churches in mak- 
ing disciples. (5) They raised funds for the poor saints, 
carried them as chosen messengers of the chitrches, and 
arranged to have them distributed through the elders of 
a congregation. (6) They taught the whole of Chris- 
tian duties, reproved sin and encouraged righteousness. 

XIV. We have seen the clearest proof of what is 
usually called the independence of the churches. There 
is not the slightest intimation that any church ever at- 
tempted to interfere with the affairs of another; or that 
any council, or association of churches ever attempted 
to supervise the actions of any single church. We have 
seen an entire absence of all humanly organized socie- 
ties, all confederations of church, etc., except in the 
cases named and set forth, for voluntary co-operation in 
good works, etc. Hence, to go beyond these is not only 
to go in the dark, but against the light. In no instance 
had a preacher "charge'' of a missionary station, or a 
plurality of churches, or even one church. The scrip- 
tural bishops only had "charge" of the churches; and 
for any one man, or any other class of men to claim to 
have charge of the church, or churches is to "lord it 
over God's heritage ! " That is over God's saints. 

XV. The facts and truths here presented seem to 
make very plain the cause of the failure of the gospel 
and the church, so far as there has been a failure, viz : 
Earnest workers, pious and God fearing men, and 
women, have been induced to abandon God's ways for 
the organization, teaching training and government of 
the churches; and for doing mission and other philan- 



450 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

tliropic work. "When, and' so long and so far, as God's 
ways were followed, the cause prospered against all op- 
position, and despite of all odds ; and those who enlist- 
ed in it gave np the world and its vanities, and were 
solemnly consecrated to the divine service. They were 
true Christians. Christian union, true piety, brotherly 
love, and* an abounding in liberality, zeal and good 
works prevailed. They were the rule, not the excep- 
tion, as since the departure from God's ways. All his- 
tory attests this. The lives of the converts were the 
best evidence of the truth and excellency of the system. 

Hence the unquestionable conclusion, that, to remedy 
all the evils complained of, stop the mouths of gainsay - 
ers, "cut off occasion from those who seek occasion," 
and give the needed encouragements to the true work- 
ers for God, we must at once, and forever, abandon the 
ways of men, and accept the ways of God in all things, 
as shown in the lives of the primitive Christians. There 
can be no other remedy ; and we have the assurance of 
God himself, and of all history and experience, that 
this will be effectual, complete and permanent. The 
ancient gospel and the ancient order will give the an- 
cient success ! How plain and encouraging ! 

Now, in contrast with these fifteen items certain and 
plain, let us note some things they did not have or do : 

1. The preachers never hired themselves out, unless 
Paul did this in making tents. He did not in preach- 
ing. 2. They never stipulated for salaries, giving so 
much gospel or labor for so much money. 3. They 
never had any salary in our modern sense of the word. 
They only " lived of the gospel," if they did that. 4. 
They had no promise or assurance of support from 
man — individuals, churches or co-operations, in any 
case given. 5. They trusted God's promise. 6. In a 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 451 

few instances they were not supported ; and in no in- 
stance did they receive more than a living. This was 
the extent of their wages, as it was that of " the ox 
that treadeth out the corn." 7. They never, as evan- 
gelists, "took charge" of churches, or became pastors, 
in our modern sense and style, or in any true sense of 
the word. 8. Some bishops "labored in word," i. e., 
preached the gospel, or did the work of evangelists, as 
well as the special work of bishops. They were home 
preachers, not missionaries, except to a very limited ex- 
tent. 9. Evangelists never preached to churches — they 
taught them till they were officered; and then aided the 
bishops, at their request. 10. They never, in any in- 
stance, disregarded the independence of the church- 
es. Even the apostles would not choose deacons or 
bishops for them; they only ordained them after the 
congregations chose them. And if we would re-pro- 
duce primitive Christianity, preachers must do now 
what they did then so far as they are able, and must 
not do now what they would not do then. Only this 
is copying the pattern given us to work by. If these 
facts seem hard and revolutionizing, still they are facts; 
and no man can controvert them with an open Bible — 
try it who will! All the excuses and objections of men, 
or their demands for personal accommodations and as- 
surances, which ancient preachers did not have, can- 
not alter the teachings of the New Testament. Their 
only effect must be to disparage and discredit its inspi- 
ration and fulness, and hinder the triumphs of truth. 
If we have the same faith the first preachers had, let us 
show it by our works. Otherwise we may show that 
we have a great lack of faith. 



CHAPTER XXYI. 

Church Finances. — Importance of finance; how money was raised 
under Moses, regular taxes, free-will offerings, and special col- 
lections ; money collections under the Gospel, pledges, and the 
weekly contributions, all free-will offerings ; aid for the poor, mis- 
sionary work, all cellections on the same principle and for the 
one great purpose ; all appeals to the flesh, all fleshly appeals and 
• human methods forbidden; the reason of our failures, human 
plans, ways and notions instead of God's ; absolute necessity for 
returning to apostolic Christianity in order to have apostolic 
Christians, union, success etc. ; excuses and objections answered 
and difficulties removed, all by copying primitive examples ; cut- 
ting off church amusements, entertainments, worldlyisms etc. ; 
walking closely in the narrow way. 

No government, or important work has ever been 
carried on without money, or its equivalent. The prim- 
itive church was not. Almost at the beginning, they 
had a table for the poor, supplied, so far as we can 
determine, by the voluntary and special contributions of 
the disciples. Some of them sold their lands and, 
bringing all the proceeds, laid them at the feet of the 
apostles, to be distributed as they were needed. Then, 
in ten or twelve years, the first Gentile church raised 
and sent money to the poor in Judea. And though we 
find very little said on the subject, as compared with the 
very much said on it now, it is evident that each con- 
gregation had its own treasury, and supplied and raised 
it at its own discretion. 

The Jewish system, given as a type for us, had three 
ways of collecting money, which have been shown al- 
ready. 

I. Their Taxes, as we would call them. These inclu- 
ded their tithes, poll tax etc., which were compulsory. 
(452) 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 453 

II. Their free-will offerings of various kinds ; and 
they were very extensive in the best days of the nation- 
ality of the Jews. 

III. Special collections; as for the building of the Tab- 
ernacle, the Temple etc. They were often princely in 
magnitude and excellence ; and were to meet special 
demands. Often they trenched on their capital. These 
were free, not compulsory. 

The antitype makes no compulsory collections. It re- 
lies on regular free-will offerings ; and special collections 
for special demands. The manner of collecting contri- 
butions under Moses is not given in detail. Under the 
gospel we have three ways : 

I. The weekly contributions into the church treasury, as 
God has prospered each member. The literal render- 
ing of I Cor. xvi : 12 is : " Now, concerning the collec- 
tion, which is for the saints ; as I ordered the congrega- 
tions of Galatia, so also do you. On the first day of the 
week, let each of you lay somewhat by itself, according 
as he may have prospered, putting it into the treasury ; 
that when I come, there may be then no collections." 
To this agree Dr. Young's translation, the revision, and 
others. There are two ideas here ; one to put some 
thing by itself, par eauto tithetoo ; the other to put this into 
the treasury, thesa urizo ; which is in the church. And 
here we should note . 1. Every one was to do this. 2. It 
was to be done every first day ef the week ; (which im- 
plies the weekly meetings.) 3. It was to be as God had 
given them prosperity, causing them to look to God for 
prosperity in pecuniary matters, as well as in spiritual 
matters. This command was not fully obeyed if only 
apart of them contributed; or if all contributed once a 
month ; or if all contributed every Lord's day, but not as 
God prospered them. 4. It was to be done cheerfully, i. e. 



454 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

willingly ; 2 Cor. ix : 7, referring to the same collection. 
Since apostolic days, we have on record a case where a 
contribution was refused by man because it was not as 
God had prospered the giver, not according to his ability ; 
and one where a contribution was refused because it was 
not given cheerfully. 

II. " That when I come there may be then no collection" 
fairly implies that if the promised gift was not ready 
when he arrived, he would make collections then, special 
collections. He evidently sought to avoid the necessity 
for this, by having the gift ready by the weekly contrib- 
utors. But the lawfulness of special collections is appar- 
ent here. They are lawful, but not expedient, except 
when the weekly collections have failed to supply the 
treasury sufficiently. At the beginning of the church 
there was such a necessity, to supply tables for the poor ; 
and so there may be in building houses for worship, etc. 
The churches " helping forward " Paul and others, and 
their being " brought on their way by the church," may 
have been out of the church treasury, which was sup- 
plied by the weekly contributions. So, also, the sending 
to Paul at Rome, by Epaphroditus; and sending to him 
twice in Thessalonica, and the expenses of the messengers 
may all have come from the church treasury, supplied in 
the regular way. And so, likewise, the sums sent by the 
seven Asiatic churches to John in Patmos, and the ex- 
penses of the messengers. For it is not reasonable that 
they bore their own expenses, or that they went empty. 
But if the church treasuries were not sufficiently sup- 
plied, it was lawful and proper for them to make special 
collections. This necessity will not often arise, however, 
in a faithful church of a few years standing. God will 
sufficiently prosper them, and if they give accordingly, 
the church treasury will be amply supplied for all ordi- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 455 

nary calls. Unfaithfulness on our part dries up, or shuts 
off, the prosperity God would have given, as in the case 
of the Jews. See Mai. iii : 10. " Bring ye all the tithes 
into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine 
house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of 
hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and 
pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be rocm to 
receive it." Paul, 2 Cor. ix : 6 — 11, while urging liber- 
ality to the poor, urges this very forcibly, and lest it 
may not be well remembered, or turned to and read, it 
is here transcribed : 

" But this I say : He who soweth sparingly shall reap 
also sparingly, and he who soweth bountifully shall reap 
also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth 
in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, or of 
necessity, for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is 
able to make all grace abound towards you; that ye, 
always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound 
to every good work : as it is written, He hath dispersed 
abroad ; he hath given to the poor : his righteousness 
remaineth forever. Now he that ministereth seed to the 
sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply 
your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your right- 
eousness," etc. We are too apt to forget, that God has 
anything to do with our harvests now, with the rains, 
the storms, the drouths, mildews etc., and so not to pray 
for our daily bread, or to give thanks for it when it is 
given. Paul would cause his brethren to feel their de- 
pendence on God, that all their labors may be prospered. 
He would have them feel that their harvest, as well as 
their lives, were in his hands, and that " he careth for 
you." 1 Peter v : 7. How good to feel that we are now 
in the hands of an Almighty and All Gracious Father, 
who " careth for us, and will never leave or forsake us," 



456 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

that he watches our harvests, liumhers the hairs on our 
heads, listens to all our cries, and bottles carefully our 
tears ! With this faith and this understanding, we can 
afford to be liberal. And when we are weaned from the 
love of the world, and look to God for safety and pros- 
perity, we will give as he gives to us, and the church treas- 
uries will be full to overflowing. We can then draw 
upon them freely for every good work. Not so when 
only a few contribute, and they irregularly, and not as 
God has prospered them. It is encouraging to know 
that some are faithful in their contributions, as in other 
things (and as at the beginning.) They not only give 
as God prospers them, but when hindered from the 
meetings of the saints, they carefully put their prosper- 
ity " by itself," and preserve it till they can attend, or 
they send it. 

Faithfulness on the part of Christians will thus super- 
sede all necessity for human plans for getting money. 
Unfaithfulness on the part of the church, is the foundation of 
all human devices in the worship and work of God. And to 
get rid of meetings " to devise ways and means " for 
good works etc., we have only to return prac- 
tically to primitive Christianity. This will purge out all 
humanisms, all bitterness, strife and corruption ; heal 
all divisions, bring back prodigals from the church and 
turn sinners from darkness to light, the true, pure light 
of truth and of God ! Oh ! for that blessed day ! And 
it will come. 

III. Promises or pledges. — The church at Corinth, 
about the year 59, certainly pledged to Paul a contribu- 
tion for the poor saints in Judea, as he was going into 
Macedonia. It does not appear that the exact amount 
was specified. But it was clearly understood that, when 
Paul returned with what he would get in Macedonia, on 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 457 

his way to Jerusalem, it would be ready. And instead 
of complaining of this, as unscriptural and wrong, Paul 
" boasted " of it to the Macedonians, that "Achaia was 
ready a year ago," and he adds : " Your zeal hath pro- 
voked very many." See 2 Cor., eighth and ninth chap- 
ters. But then, (as it is now in such cases) there was 
reason to fear that the promised gift would not be ready; 
and Paul sent forward his companion, " chosen by the 
churches to travel with " him, and certain others, with 
his second letter to make sure of its being ready ; lest, 
when he came, with the messengers from Macedonia, 
before whom he had boasted of their liberality, he 
should be "ashamed of this confident boasting." 

Fledges or promises are therefore law/id, best in ex- 
ceptional cases, like special collections. But this pledge 
was to be redeemed out of the church treasury, and 
from the weekly contributions, if they were faithful. 
And the special collections referred to were to be only a 
resort, in case it was not ready. All this seems very 
plain. But there are here, as in other cases of plain 
scripture taeching, 

EXCUSES AND OBJECTIONS. 

1. We are told that this weekly contribution was for 
the poor saints in Jndea, and that it is not an example 
for raising funds for missionary work, or other works of 
the church. We have seen, however, that this was 
apostolic and evangelistic work, since Paul and several 
evangelists engaged in it This fact forever nullifies 
this excuse. The preachers in Judea were, doubtless, 
as poor as any other class ; and they, like the rest of the 
poor, were to share this fund. But providing for the 
poor is as clearly missionary work as preaching the gos- 
pel. So is preparing places for the assemblies to meet 



458 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

for worship, and everything else necessary to the con- 
version of sinners and the prosperity of the saints. Be- 
sides, there can be no sensible reason why the best way 
to raise means for the poor saints in Judea is not the 
best way to raise means for every other good work. It 
was adopted because it was the best way to raise funds; 
and all experience has shown that it is now the best way, 
the most philosophical, and the most successful. God's 
way is always best. The fact that men have objected, 
and are objecting now, is nothing against it. They 
have always been objecting, and probably will continue 
to object, till there is far more light and purity in the 
church. 

2. We are told that it is impracticable, because farmers 
and others cannot tell how much they are prospered 
each week. This, with the objection to the churches 
being under the care and rule of their own chosen bish- 
ops — their home elders — and in favor of the one man 
hired pastor from abroad, is simply an objection to the 
teaching of the scriptures. This is all. There were 
farmers, and persons engaged in the different occupa- 
tions anciently as now, and it was practicable then. 
Why not now ? True, sometimes one may not be able 
to determine precisely ; but we know how to be safe. It 
is better to go beyond than to fall short ; just as it is 
better to suffer wrong than to do wrong, and so cause 
others to suffer. Those who do not "give till they feel 
it," do not make much of a sacrifice to God — if any. 
Giving our remainders, our crumbs, our lame, halt and 
blind, cannot be pleasing to God. It was abomination 
under Moses, and God has not changed. We have been 
recently taught to sing for Jesus : 

*' I gave my life for thee — 
What hast thoirgiven for me ? 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 459 

I suffered much for thee — 
What hast thou borne for nie ? 

I left my all for thee — 

Hast thou left all for me ? " 

Alas ! for those foolish virgins who raise a little finger 
toward heaven and imagine they have done wonders, 
and are in the highway to glory ! 

If there is anything clear and certain, it is that the 
weekly contribution is God's way for collecting funds 
for all church purposes. Special collections may he 
made and pledges may be given, in special cases, as in 
the beginning of a congregation, in terrible calamities 
etc., and when one has not in hand what he is willing to 
give, or when the receiver is not ready to take charge of 
it, as when Paul was at Corinth, A. D. 59. But the rule 
remains, and is not affected by these special cases. It 
will be time enough for us to depart from it when we 
cannot follow it. And when we must depart from the 
weekly contribution, we are still restricted to scriptural 
examples in getting money. The modern plans for worm- 
ing out money from unwilling hands are utterly out of 
the question. Getting money " for the Lord " by pam- 
pering pride, gratifying and encouraging worldly and 
fleshly passions and lusts, pleasing an ungodly fancy, or 
any way that encourages the " lust of the flesh, the lust 
of the eyes and the pride of life, which are not of the 
Father, but are of the world " is " crucifying the Son of 
God afresh, and putting him to an open shame." 1 Jno. 
ii : 16, Heb. vi : 6. Peter says . " Abstain from fleshly 
lusts which war against the soul." 1 Peter ii : 11. Paul 
says ; " They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, 
with the affections and lusts." Gal. v : 24. It is, there- 
fore, very sinful to do anything, iu order to get money 
"for the Lord," that strengthens and encourages the 



460 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

flesh, " the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, or the 
pride of life," all of which sincere Christians have cru- 
cified. The end does not sanctify or justify the means. 
All these worldly ways of getting money are helping 
the enemy, and dishonoring the Lord. This shuts off 
and inhibits all raffles, jug breakings, kissing matches, 
selling young ladies, popular festivals in the church, 
and all young theatrical performances, also all appeals to 
our love of worldly honor, as having our names in the 
papers with the amount we give etc. Those who give 
for such purposes are like the selfish Jews who followed 
the Savior " for the loaves and fishes." 

It does not follow that a few Christians may not make 
a musical concert ; the music being elevating and puri- 
fying ; or a dinner, or supper, to meet the necessary de- 
mands of our nature, and receive pay for their labor. 
They give a full equivalent for all they receive, and do 
good to the hearers and eaters. Good music has a good 
influence. Matthew Levi made a feast, and Jesus at- 
tended. Jesus, his mother, and his brethren attended a 
wedding. But in these cases, the honor of God and the 
best interests of man were the objects, not the gratifica- 
tion of the lusts of the flesh, etc. If we make feasts or 
music, or " whatsoever we do in word or deed," we 
should do all " in the name of the Lord Jesus " and " to 
the glory of God." Col. iii : 17—23, 1 Cor. x: 31. 
These surely forbid all worldly amusements, which are 
merely for the flesh, and do not include any proper rec- 
reations. Recreation is re-creation. Jesus, weary with 
toil, and sad on accouut of the sin and folly of man, said 
to his disciples : " Come ye yourselves apart into a des- 
ert place, and rest awhile." Mark vi : 31. Best is re- 
creative. Sleep is the best re-creation generally ; it is 
" tired nature's sweet restorer." The fact that we need 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 461 

re-creation, and may find aid in what are called " inno- 
cent amusements" — as explaining the wonders of nature, 
or the works of art; finding out riddles, and proper 
athletic exercises, does not prove that we may partake 
in mere worldly amusements, which strengthen the evil 
propensities within us, and so corrupt, and do not ele- 
vate or purify. To make, hold, or aid these is, to be 
partakers of evil. No amount of money can he a com- 
pensation for this. To attend such exhibitions is sinful. 
" For he that biddeth him God-speed is partaker of his 
evil deeds." 2 John 11. " Neither be partaker of 
other men's sins, keep thyself pure." 1 Tim. v : 22. 
The bishop, as an example, must not get money " by 
base methods ;" (Titus i : 7. — Living Oracles,) as letting 
houses for saloons, or for any unlawful or unscriptural 
purpose, such as modern church festivals. If a bishop, 
as a typical Christian, may not do such things, others 
may not. How inconsistent and out of place for a 
preacher or bishop to sell in his store " gold, pearls and 
costly array," and other things, the entire tendency of 
which is to strengthen the flesh and encourage pride, 
just for the sake of base gain, "the mammon of unright- 
eousness." Some of them will not quite sell whiskey. 
This would be unpopular, with the better class of the 
community, and so hinder them from selling costly ar- 
ray ; but they will sell tobacco, and sometimes rent houses 
for saloons and other base purposes ! Now, except the 
unpopulairty of the saloon business, why not follow 
that also ? The tendency of excessively fine dressing 
and of tobacco, etc., if not so strong, is of the same na- 
ture. It is all in favor of the enemy, and in disobedi- 
ence to Christ. How could these lovers of mammon 
say, as Paul did, 2 Cor. vii : 2, " Receive us; we have 
wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have 



462 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

defrauded no man " ? Their merchandise, etc., at least, 
tended to corrupt, to defraud, and so, to wrong their cus- 
tomers and associates. Paul would have Christians to 
" live honestly hefore all men, " to earn what they re- 
ceive from others, as a rule at least. They are not to 
" take something for nothing" but these money lovers 
take much for that which tends entirely to evil ! Alas ! 
for preachers and elders, or others who do this ! Cer- 
tainly this is neither the golden rule nor the law of love. 
Paul got stripes and imprisonment for such plainness of 
speech, and John the Baptist lost his head for pointing 
out the sins of king Herod, but he did not lose his soul ! 
This is encouraging. " What shall we have therefore ? 
"Well, we will not have the sins or the blood of others 
on us if we " walk in their footsteps." 

Individual and personal contributions are not named 
here as church methods of getting money, because they 
are individual and personal. We have many examples 
of personal gifts and aid. Phoebe was " a succorer of many 
and of myself also," says Paul. And Mary " bestowed 
much labor on us." Rom. xvi : 2, 6. Luke viii : 1—3. 
We are told that Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and 
"many others ministered to him of their substance." 
At the crucifixion, these and others, by personal contri- 
bution, embalmed his body. Paul was willing to assume 
personally, to pay Philemon whatever Onesimus might 
owe him. Phil. 18, 19. This was a personal gift. In- 
dividuals may, therefore, bestow their means themselves, 
upon worthy objects and persons, without putting them 
into the church treasury. When they do so in the 
name and by the authority of the Lord Jesus, and to 
glory of God, it is not to the honor of any human so- 
ciety, policy, or plan. It is by a church member, and 
thus we give " unto him glory in the church, by Christ 



LIVE REL1GI0 US ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 463 

Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end." Eph. 
iii : 21. If one should sustain a mission, or especially 
aid it, build a church house, etc., he may put into the 
treasury proportionally less, and the church being aware 
of his liberality, will not complain. 

"We see, then, how full the divine examples and in- 
structions are, as to the finances of the church, and 
how completely all modern human methods are super- 
seded and inhibited. When we practically return to 
primitive Christianity, we shall need none of them. 
And as we will have the apostolic gospel and ways, so 
will we have apostolic Christians, and they will contrast 
with the mass of modern Christians about as the mod- 
ern gospels and ways and means contrast with the 
ancient and apostolic. The cause and effect will corres- 
pond. As we sow, so must we reap. If we sow hu- 
man gospels, human names, creeds and ways, we reap 
worldly and fleshly members. The worshiper is assim- 
ilated to the object and plan of worshiping ; the con- 
verts to the agencies and means of their conversion. It 
would, therefore, be entirely absurd for us to expect ap- 
ostolic Christians in heart aud life by human societies, 
human gospels and ways of sectarianism in any form. 
Let us hasten to Jerusalem, aud getting close behind the 
apostles and first Christians, walk in their tracks step by 
step. Then may we have true Christians, whose lights 
will shine as " a city on a hill that cannot be hid." All 
men will take knowledge of them that, " they seek a 
city " above, and riches, honors and pleasures unuttera- 
bly beyond all things earthly. Such people can afford 
to be brave, self- sacrificing, patient and persevering, as 
were the first Christians. They will have the same love 
one for another, and in honor they will "prefer" each 
other. They will not murmur or complain, as Paul 



464 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

never did. They will " take joyfully the spoiling of 
their goods." Of course, they will joyfully devote them 
as they may be able, to the cause of Christ. Instead of 
waiting to be persuaded, or holding their money with a 
death-grasp, they will be like the Macedonian Christians, 
who " to their power and beyond their power, were wil- 
ling of themselves, praying us with much entreaty that 
we would receive the gift," etc. 2 Cor. viii : 3, 4. They 
will be both industrious and economical, and if they 
have little or much, they will not spend it for trifles, as 
" gold and pearls and costly array." Should such a peo- 
ple rise up in our midst, and stand erect before us, they 
would be so unlike the fashionable Christians of the day 
that, like oil and water, or other non-assimilants, they 
could not mix. 

That the principal cause of divisions, and worldliness 
now so prevalant, is the departures from the letter and 
spirit of the gospel, is very manifest. Human societies 
are multiplying and prevailing. Human innovations 
everywhere abound. Almost all the leading features of 
the gospel are changed. And the simplicity of the gospel 
pleases only a few. The remedy is plain, and, thank 
God, it is infallible ! We need apostolic Christianity. 
All of it, and no more. Nothing else can ever make 
true Christians. Nothing else will ever convert the 
world, or unite Christians according to the prayer of 
Jesus; and nothing else will fit and qualify for the en- 
joyment of the riches and glory of Christ ! 



CHAPTER XXVIL 

Scriptural Church Music. — Importance of music for good or evil ; 
following the divine rule would prevent discord as to instrumen- 
tal music in the worship ; argument of Bishop Strossmayer 
against a pope applicable to this subject — i. e., its lack of apos- 
tolic recognition ; true worship, vain worship — true music, vain 
and corrupting music ; it belongs to a class of things forbidden ; 
(J. W. McGarvey ;) his argument; history of instrumental music 
in the worship — among the Jews ; learned men on the subject ; ' 
it hinders obedience, and is, therefore, a disobedience ; its intro- 
duction among Christians ; its inutility and the better way ; its 
violation of the law of love; examination of Rom. xiv, and 1 
Cor. viii ; what we owe each other in things indifferent; what 
Paul would do — what he did do; M. E. Lard on Rom. xiv, etc. 
— accountable for our brother's ruin; what prominent men 
think of these things — Isaac Errett, I. B. Grubbs, J. W. McGar- 
vey, Spurgeon, Campbell and others ; what F. G. Allen says, — 
Chysostom and other Fathers ; a plain way open for peace and 
good will with God and man — God's own chosen way — who will 
walk in it ? 

Music is an element in nature. The winds and the 
waves, the beasts and the birds make music. Music, as 
an expression of joy and gladness, contrasts with moan- 
ing and sighing as expressions of pain and sorrow. 
Music appears in the history of all ages and of all men 
from childhood to old age. It enters into and has ever 
been a part of worship — the worship of idols and the 
worship of God. Like every other blessing, music has 
been abused; and controversies, bitter and strong, have 
prevailed concerning its use. The devil, seeing its pow- 
er, has not been slow to appropriate it to his service. 
Hence, all Christians should study it closely, and under- 
stand well both its abuse and its proper use. Failing in 
this, we are almost certain to go sadly wrong. 

30 (465) 



466 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

It may be laid clown as an axiomatic truth, that what 
ever is to be learned and practiced should be taught. 
Therefore music ought to be taught in the church, in 
the schools, and in the family. At this point there has 
been largely a failure, and the enemy has taken advant- 
age of it, and has taught wrong music greatly to the 
injury of truth and righteousness. This wrong and 
evil should not be perpetuated or tolerated. Still the 
limits of this work forbid an extended consideration of 
the subject. Indeed, if the principles here laid down 
and exemplified are observed, we may be brief in its 
treatment, with a good measure of safety. For, so far 
as concerns music in the worship, we can have none but 
what is authorized by the divine directory, since we are 
to have nothing, and do nothing, as worship, but what 
is appointed. And since we follow this directory, we 
must stop where it stops. We cannot follow anything 
further than it goes. This rule would save us all strife 
and trouble concerning 

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN THE WORSHIP ; 

Since there is not the slightest authority for it in the 
New Testament. Its not being authorized is its inhibi- 
tion. AH of Christian worship is in the New Testament. 
This Protestants concur in. Instrumental music is not 
in the New Testament. Therefore, instrumental music 
does not and cannot belong to the New Testament 
worship. This is the first argument against it, and 
should be conclusive, without addition or aid. Let us 
exemplify this briefly : 

Bishop Strossmayer, of Bosuia, in Croatia, delivered 
in the Vatican, before the late Ecumenical Council, an 
argument against papal infallibility, the substance of 
which was: 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 467 

1. That on the closest examination of the New Testa- 
ment he "found nothing to justify, however remotely, 
the ultramontane view — nothing said about a pope, suc- 
cessor of St. Peter and Vicar of Jesus Christ, any more 
than about a successor of Mohammed." Therefore, we 
should not have a pope at all. The law of Moses had 
its high priest; but he was not infallible, nor are we 
under Moses; we are under Jesus Christ; our perpetual 
and ever living High Priest, and are to have, in wor- 
ship, only what he authorizes. 

2. " Not only is Christ silent on this point," which 
his first argument shows is sufficient to prohibit it, but 
it appears, on many occasions, that he carefully guarded 
against it, and vetoed it. Thus: (a) The whole twelve 
men to sit on thrones, and there is no intimation that 
Peter's throne was to be any higher than the others. 
From this "he infers that Jesus did not intend Peter to 
take his place as chief commander on earth, (b) Then 
he refers to Luke xxii : 25, 26, which he understands 
forbids a pope, or lords high among them, (c) He 
argued that if Peter had been pope he should have con- 
voked the council at Jerusalem, Acts, xv, and should 
have presided; and would have written the letter, etc. 
Whereas, the facts show that Peter was rather subor- 
dinate, and never, on that, or any other occasion, as- 
sumed the office, or dominion of an ultramontane pope 
—or any primacy whatever. Then he adds: To sum 
up, then: "During the life time of the apostles the 
church never thought of the possibility of a pope. To 
maintain the contrary, it would be necessary to put the 
Holy Scriptures into the fire, or out of mind." " The 
church has never been more fair, more pure, more holy 
[and he might have said, more perfect or successful,] 
than in the days when we had no pope." And why not 



468 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

add — no human creed, no denominational, or other 
unscriptural names, no humanly organized societies and 
no instrumental music in the worship ? The argument 
is equally good and sweeping against them all, and 
against whatever is not in the lew Testament. 

And this is the argument of a Roman Catholic bish- 
op before the pope of an ecumenical council. This, too, 
was the ground principle of the protestant reformation, 
and is embodied in their denominational creeds, in 
slightly different language, all meaning that: " The 
holy Scriptures are the only and all sufficient rule of 
faith and practice, and whatever is not by them author- 
ized is not to be bound on or required of any one." 
The reformation of this century was not peculiar in 
this respect; nor was Mr. Locke. They only made a 
more vigorous effort to carry out this principle. But, 
like the rest they failed. Hence, our humanlj-organized 
societies, our instrumental music in the worship, etc. 

The only imaginable way of evading this argument 
is, the claim that instrumental music is not a part of the 
worship, but only an aid to it, like tuning forks, written 
or printed hymns and notes, etc. Now, to leave this 
argument in all its force, let us note the facts here. 

True worship is, the hearty reverence and adoration 
of the Supreme Being, manifested in keeping his com- 
mands. This is all of it. Bowing down is the meaning 
of the word usually rendered worship, and is six times, 
in the New Testament, by Dr. Young, rendered bow, or 
bow down. This is an act of worship. It is the literal 
and direct way to manifest veneration and adoration. 
Then came other acts of worship, including all obedi- 
ence to God. 

But there was a vain worship. This consisted in 
" observing institutions merely human." Matt, xv : 9; 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 469 

Mark vii: 7. (Dr. G. Campbell's translation.) There 
are many vain religions, and only one "pure and unde- 
nted." James i: 26,27. These are religions, but vain. 
Idolators worship, but in vain. Whatever is intended 
to manifest veneration and adoration is a part of wor- 
ship, true or false. Instrumental music was always a 
part of idol worship ; and it was used by David and in 
the temple after David, as part of the worship, as it 
was in idol worship, and as it is by professed Christians 
now, and is, in fact, often the most prominent part of 
worship. Hence, instrumental music was and is a part 
of the worship, even a principal part ; and yet as cer- 
tainly vain as is observing other "institutions merely 
human." The "Jews' religion," (Gal. i: 13, 14,) is but 
another name for the worship of the Jews, and included 
the entire routine of their ceremonies; as the washing 
of their hands before eating, washing cups, pots, brazen 
vessels, etc. See Mark vii : 1-8. Here Jesus charges 
them with "laying aside the commands of God, that 
ye may keep your own traditions," and tells them (verse 
7,) that it is all in vain ; and he calls this the fulfillment 
of Isa. xxix : 13. And turning to this we find this 
further clause : "And their fear towards me is taught 
by the precepts of men." We are then referred to Col. 
ii : 20-22. Here, omitting the parenthesis, and follow- 
ing a literal rendering, we read : " If you died with Christ 
from the rudiments of the world, why, as [if] living in 
the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances, ac- 
cording to the commandments and teachings of men? 
Which ordinances having a worldly show of wisdom 
in self-devised worship and humility, by an indulgence 
of the body, not in any honor, are only for a gratifica- 
tion of the flesh." See the same idea in verse 18, and 
the prohibition. The same forbidding is found Titus i : 



470 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

14 : " Not giving heed to Jewish fables and command- 
ments of men that turn from the truth." Thus we have 
fully set forth : 1. That all these human additions were 
parts of the worship; 2. that they were in vain; 3. 
that they are forbidden. They are an insult, or, as Mr. 
Locke puts it, " a contempt" of the Divine Being; as if 
lie did not know what he wanted, or what would please 
him, and man must come to his aid, and perfect that 
worship which he left imperfect ! ! ! 

Prof. J. W. McGarvey says of instrumental music in 
the worship : " The practice belongs to a class of things 
expressly condemned in the New Testament;" and 
then refers to the passages just cited, the washing of 
cups, pots, etc., as vain and offensive additions to the 
Jewish worship. Then uniting with F. G. Allen, A. 
Campbell and others, he says : 

" No worship is acceptable to God which he himself has not author- 
ized. Paul authorizes this teaching when he condemns as ' will-wor- 
ship ' the observances of ordinances ' after the precepts and doctrines 
of men.' Col. ii: 20-23. The Greek word here rendered 'will-wor- 
ship ' means worship self-imposed, as distinguished from worship im- 
posed by God, and the practices referred to in the context are con- 
demned on this ground; thus showing that all self-imposed worship 
is wrong in the sight of God. * * He who employs it, (instrumen- 
tal music in worship,) therefore engages in ' will-worship,' according 
to Paul, and he offers vain worship according to Jesus. * * To 
deny, then, that the present use of instrumental music in the church 
is a part of the worship, is a subterfuge and an afterthought ingeni- 
ously gotten up to obscure the fact that it comes under the condem- 
nation pronounced against vain worship and will-worship. * * 
The authority to perform a certain service carries with it the author- 
ity to employ all helps that are necessary to its effective performance ; 
[but] it can do no more. On this principle, if the use of an instru- 
ment were necessary to the effective worship in song, this fact would 
give the needed authorization ; but it is certainly not necessary to 
worship as denned by those just referred to ; that is, to the language 
of the heart; and that it is not necessary to effective singing is obvi- 
ous from the fact that most effective singing has been done in all the 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 471 

churches in all ages and countries without it; and from the other 
fact that, any one who can sing with an instrument can sing without 
it. In reality, the use of an instrument does not help the singing. 
It helps the music, and it does this by adding to the vocal music, 
music of another kind. The position, then, is from every point of 
view, involved in misconception and fallacy. Nor is this the worst 
feature of it ; for, if it be granted that men are at liberty to adopt any 
unnecessary helps to the worship which they may think desirable, 
then it follows that the Romanist is justifiable in using candles, im- 
ages, incense and crucifixes as helps in the worship; and should the 
day come that a majority of the disciples in any congregation shall 
desire to introduce all these practices, the men who have admitted 
the organ on this ground must consent to it, or abandon their present 
position." 

Then he continues as follows : 

" The acts and order of congregational worship were appointed by 
inspired men. All that they introduced, therefore, has the divine 
sanction, whether enjoined by precept or not; and it is equally true 
that what they omitted was omitted under the same divine guidance. 
Their omission of instrumental music from the worship has, there- 
fore, the divine approval. But the circumstances under which this 
omission took place give it an additional force as an indication of 
God's will. The apostles and their fathers before them had been 
taught to regard instrumental music as an approved element in the 
worship of God at the temple. They thought it proper to participate 
as Jews in the temple worship long after they had established the 
Christian church, and we know from the Scriptures that they did so 
up to the time of Paul's last visit to Jerusalem as recorded in the 
twenty-first chapter of Acts. Now, during the whole of this time, 
from the great Pentecost on, there were two different worshiping as- 
semblies in the temple every Lord's day, and often every day in the 
week ; one, the Christian assembly, and the other, the Jewish. In 
the latter there was an offering of sacrifice, accompanied by the sound 
of trumpets (Num. x: 10) ; and the burning of incense accompanied 
by the prayers of the people (Luke i: 10.) In the other, composed 
of Christians, and directed in its exercises by the inspired apostles, 
there was neither sacrifice nor incense, nor the sound of musical in- 
struments. What clearer proof can there be, that in the mind of the 
Spirit guiding the apostles all of these things were alike unsuited to 
the worship of a Christian assembly ? As respects instrumental music, 
there was here, not a mere failure to introduce it, but the deliberate 
laying of it aside, the quiet rejection of it, by those who had been ac- 



472 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

customed to its use under the former dispensation, and who yet con- 
tinued to worship with it when engaged in the ritual of the law. Un- 
questionably there is here an indication of the divine will to the ef- 
fect, that however acceptable to God this form of service may have 
been under the fleshly covenant, he desired none of it under the 
spiritual. 

The evidence derives additional force from the consideration, that 
although in respect to both faith and practice the churches fell rap- 
idly into corruption after the death of the apostles, their practice in 
this particular was so firmly fixed that they continued to worship 
without the use of instruments of music for about seven hundred 
years. Nearly every item of the old Jewish and the old pagan ritual 
which now helps to make up the ceremonial of the Roman church, 
was introduced before the return to the discarded use of instrumental 
music. The first organ- certainly known to have been used in a 
church was put into the cathedral at Aix-la-chapelle, by the German 
Emperor Charlemagne who came to the throne in the year 768. So 
deposes Prof. Hauck, of Germany, in the SchafF-Herzog Cyclopedia 
which you can find in some preacher's library in your vicinity. The 
same learned author declares that its use met with great opposition 
among Romanists, especially from the monks; and that it made its 
way but slowly into common use. So great was this opposition even 
as late as the sixteenth century, that he says it would probably have 
been abolished by the council of Trent, but for the influence of the 
Emperor Ferdinand. This council met in 1545. Thus we see that 
this innovation was one of the latest that crept into the Roman apos- 
tasy, and that it was so unwelcome, even there, that a struggle of 
about eight hundred years was necessary to enable it to force its way 
to universal acceptance. The Lutheran church, and the church of 
England brought it with them out of Romanism ; all other Protest- 
ant churches started in their course of reform without it, and so con- 
tinued until within the present century ; while the Greek church and 
the Armenian church, both more ancient than the Roman, still con- 
tinue to reject it. 

To sum up these arguments, you can now see that this practice is 
one of recent origin among Protestant churches, adopted by them 
from the Roman apostasy ; that it was one of the latest corruptions 
adopted by that corrupt body ; that a large part of the religious world 
has never accepted it ; that though employed in Jewish ritual it was 
deliberately laid aside by the inspired men who organized the church 
of Christ ; and the several precepts of the New Testament implicitly 
condemn it." 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE BAY. 473 

This celebrated professor in the ablest and most wor- 
thy Bible college in existence speaks plainly and will 
be understood. Modest and conscientious people find 
it difficult to claim that they know better than he does. 
But the facts themselves are indisputable. It would 
not be too much to say that all candid Bible scholars 
concur in them. The only question is, will we regard 
them ? Or will we, in disregard of them, be governed 
by the popular outcry, and our personal preferences ? 
Will we yield to the demands of the world? Or will 
we regard the divine will? 

Let us note a few additional facts concerning 

THE HISTORY OF INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN WORSHIPING AS- 
SEMBLIES, ETC. 

In idol worship, instrumental music has always been 
an important factor. We read of the " flute, harp, sack- 
but, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music," in the 
worship of Nebuchadnezzar's idol. In war, in theaters 
and in worldly amusements, generally, instrumental 
music has been common, and it is to-day almost every- 
where. 

In Gen. iv : 21, we read that Jubal was " the father 
of all such as handle the harp and organ." In Exodus 
15th chapter we have the song of Moses, and no instru- 
ments indicated among the men ; but Miriam and all the 
women used timbrels in their rejoicing and triumphant 
song. Jephthah's daughter came out to meet her vic- 
torious father with timbrel. Judges xi : 34. David 
and others played on instruments, rejoicing. 2 Sam. 
vi : 5. The damsels also played with the timbrels, Ps. 
lxviii : 25 ; and David would have all Israel praise God 
with the trumpet and all loud sounding instruments, 
and in the dance; so he would have the hills, trees, etc. 



474 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

praise God. Ps. cl : 4. But we need here to note: 

1. These facts represent praise, not worship, in the as- 
sembly of the saints. Manifestations of rejoicing are 
common in various ways, when great events have tran- 
spired ; as during wars, when great battles are gained, 
bells are rung, trumpets are blown, strong men halloo, 
throw up their hats, clap their hands, etc. They do not 
think of worship. So David rejoiced at the return of 
the ark; so the damsels rejoiced with timbrels and dance. 
No one confounded this with worship. In all this the 
dance is as manifest as the music. Hence we have as 
much authority for dancing as a church ordinance as 
for instrumental music, if, indeed, these facts have any 
authority in them for either. We should, also, on the 
same grounds, have the trumpet, and all kinds of instru- 
ments in the church, not the organ only. How beauti- 
fully this would fill out the picture — a regular band of 
music, all kinds of musical instruments, and the dance 
in the house of worship on the Lord's day ! Simply be- 
cause David and others had all these in their rejoicings, 
without any warrant or approval from God ! If this 
history is authority for part, it is authority for the 
whole. But this, like the plain putting of Calvinism, 
is too strong. It proves too much, and therefore proves 
nothing. 

2. These were extra occasions, special seasons, not the 
regular ordinary course. 

3. They had, and sometimes used instruments to 
praise God with, and hence might have used them in 
the regular worship had it been so directed, or had it 
been judged proper. 

4. The absence of instruments in the worship for three 
thousand years, i. e., till the days of David, must mean 
that, in the divine estimation, and in the judgment 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 475 

of the people, instruments were not needed, and not 
proper in worship. Great care is taken to describe the 
tabernacle and its furniture, the priestly garments, 
etc., and had the Divine Being desired musical instru- 
ments, it seems unaccountable that he made no provis- 
ion for it, and said nothing whatever about it. He is 
even careful to describe almost every item in the attire 
of the priests, in the material and make of the furni- 
ture of the tabernacle, etc., and yet says nothing of in- 
struments in the worship. Can it be even possible that 
he would have omitted this, had instruments been 
proper in the worship? Must we not conclude that, 
since he mentions and gives detailed directions for other, 
and much smaller matters, he would have mentioned 
this had he approved it? Is not its not being even re- 
ferred to, under these circumstances, equal to a positive 
prohibition ? 

5. Observe, also, that the Bible is giving a history of 
what was done. It does not tell us that God command- 
ed the use of instruments even in praising him on extra 
occasions, or that he was pleased with their use. 
It simply states the facts, as a faithful history must. 
The enemies of the Bible blame it because Jeptha sac- 
rificed his daughter. We tell them to blame Jeptha, 
not the God or the Bible. It is nowhere said or intimated 
that God approved this. It was Jeptha's act, and he 
alone is accountable for it. So of instruments in praise. 
AVe do not read that God commanded or approved 
them. And the facts noted above would indicate that 
they were not pleasing to him — yet we should keep in 
mind the difference betwen this praise and worship. If 
it was proper in praise it would not follow that it was 
proper in the regular worship. 

6. Xothing is more certain than that God put in his 



476 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

worship in both Testaments, all that he wanted in it. 
What he left out was left out because he did not desire 
it in. This argument does not apply to the printing 
press, the use of steam, or electricity, or any thing the 
worshipers then could not have. But they could have 
had instrumental music in the worship. Hence, the 
only possible conclusion is — they did not desire it ; it 
was not proper. This is what I call a necessary in- 
ference, because we are entirely unable to avoid it. 

david's service. 

The introduction of instruments in worship was by 
David, about the year of the world 3,000 — 1,000, B.C. See 
1 Chron.xxiii : 5-25, etc. David claims this honor, and no 
one refused it. But David did many things that were not 
right. It was when he was young, and before his exal- 
tation, that God said David was "a man after his own 
heart." The fact that David did anything is no evidence 
that it was right. 

All that can possibly be claimed here is, that God 
bore with instruments in the worship. He did not de- 
nounce David, or refuse the worship. But he did not 
command or provide instruments in or for worship. 
And he bore with the Jews in their demand for a king, 
(though he calls it rejecting him, 1 Sam. viii: 7; x : 19;) 
in their divorces, in their plurality of wives, etc. Jesus 
explains all this to the Pharisees, Matt, xix : 8. He 
says : " Moses, indeed, permitted you to divorce your 
wives, on accout of your stubborn disposition; but 
from the beginning it was not so." The kingly form of 
government was not God's choice ; but it was the best 
they would have. Divorces were not best; polygamy 
was not best ; but they would have it so, and God bore 
with them. There is great meaning in these facts. He 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY 477 

may not bear with us so much, since he has given us so 
much more in Christ. 

In Amos, 787 B.C., when instruments in worship had 
been in use over two hundred years, we have a very clear 
testimony that God was never pleased with them, and 
that he simply bore with them as with other errors. 
He sends Amos to remonstrate with them for their 
wantonness, "lying on beds of ivory," etc., and then says, 
in describing their sin : 

" That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to 
themselves instruments of music, like David ; that drink 
wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with ointments; 
but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph." 

This is certainly not giving David much credit for his 
invention. It is clearly a rebuke for their wanton rev- 
elry, in which instrumental music had a large place. 

In 2 Chron. xxix : 25, Gad, the king's seer, and 
Nathan, the prophet, are said to unite with David in 
the use of instruments of music, and they are called, in 
the common version, " instruments of God." But in 
all these cases the instruments were for praise; and, as 
has been noted, not because God would have it so, but 
because the people would have it so, and God allowed, 
or bore with it, as with a kingly government and other 
errors. He commanded Samuel to make a king, also, 
though it was not his plan of government. And he 
" commanded to write a bill of divorce," etc., though 
from the beginning it was not so,' and it was borne with 
only on account of their intractableness. When these 
items are observed, we find that there was no divine 
warrant for instruments in worship. But the fact that 
the Jews used instruments is no evidence that Christians 
should use them, any more than their using sacrifices, 
observing new moons, etc., is evidence that Christians 



478 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

should use or observe them. We are under a new cove- 
nant, and have new ordinances and laws. Nothing — not 
even one thing ! — is binding on Christians simply because 
it is found in the law of Moses. This is a great fact, a 
clear and certain fact, and is of much importance to us. 
We do nothing because the Jews did it. Under Christ, 
and with the perfect law of liberty, we " are complete 
in him." Col. ii : 10. We wash feet as a good work, 
entertain strangers, etc., not because Abraham did, or 
because Moses commanded the Jews to do so, but be- 
cause the prime ministers of Jesus Christ so direct. 
And we do not wash feet as a church ordinance, or ob- 
serve circumcision, or have infant church membership, 
etc., because they do not so direct. And so we do not 
use instruments in the house of worship, because they 
do not so direct, and did not so practice. 

It is said that apostolic example is equal to apostolic 
precept. And we observe the Lord's day wholly on the 
authority of this example. There is not a direct com- 
mand for it, as there was to the Jews to observe the 
Sabbath. The only reason we do not wash feet as a 
church ordinance is, they did not do it or direct it. If, 
then, we regard their example, it will be impossible to 
have instrumental music in the worship. Their action 
not only does not favor it, but seems purposely intended 
to exclude it, for it is certain they might have had it. 

DR. CLARK ON THIS SUBJECT. 

Dr. Adam Clark says on Amos vi : 5 : 

" That invent to themselves instruments of music, like David. (See the 
note on 1 Chron. xxiii: 5; and see especially the note on 1 Chron. 
xxix : 25.) " I believe that David was not authorized by the Lord to 
introduce that multitude of instruments into the divine worship, of 
which we read ; and I am satisfied that his conduct in this respect is 
most solemnly reprehended by this prophet, and I further believe 
that the use of such instruments of music in the Christian church is 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE BAY. 479 

without the sanction, and against the will of God ; that they are sub- 
versive of the .spirit of true devotion, and that they are sinful. If 
there was a woe to them who invented instruments of music, as did 
David, under the law, is there no woe, no curse on them who invent- 
ed them and introduced them into the worship of God in the Chris- 
tian church? I am an old man, and an old minister, and I declare 
that I never knew them productive of any good in the worship of 
God ; and have had reason to believe that they were productive of 
much evil. Music as a science I esteem and admire ; but instruments 
of music in the house of God, I abominate and abhor. This is the 
abuse of music." 

And on 1 Chron. xxiii: 5, Dr. Clark says 

11 It does not appear that he (David) had any positive divine au- 
thority for such arrangements. As to the instruments of music 
which he made, they are condemned elsewhere. See Amos vi : 5, to 
which this verse is allowed to be parallel." 

On 2 Chron. xxix : 25, Dr. Clark says : 

" With cymbals, ivith psalteries. Moses had not appointed any mu- 
sical instruments in the divine worship. There was nothing of the 
kind under the first tabernacle. The trumpets or horns then used 
were not for song or for praise ; but as we use bells, to give notice to the 
congregation what they were called to perform, etc. But David did 
certainly introduce many instruments of music into God's worship, 
for which we have already seen he w r as solemnly reproved by the 
prophet Amos, vi : 1-6. Then, however, the author of this book 
states he had the commandment of the prophet Nathan, and Gad, the 
king's seer ; and this is stated to have been by the commandment of 
the Lord, by his prophets; but the Syriac and Arabic gives this a dif- 
ferent turn : ' Hezekiah appointed the Levites, in the house of the 
Lord with instruments of music and the sound of harps, and with the 
hymns of David and the hymns of Gad, the king's prophet and of 
Nathan, the king's prophet ; for David sang the praises of the Lord, 
his God, as from the mouth of the prophets. It was by the hand or 
commandment of the Lord and his prophets that the Levites should 
praise the Lord — for so the Hebrew text may be understood— and it 
was by the order of David that so many instruments of music should 
be introduced into the divine service. But were it evident^— which it; 
is not — either from this or any other place in the sacred writings, 
that instruments of music were prescribed by divine authority under 
the law, could this be adduced with any semblance of reason that 
they should be used in Christian worship? No; the whole spirit, 
soul and genius of the Christian religion are against this, and those 



480 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

who know the church of God best, and what constitutes its genuine 
spiritual state, know that these things have been introduced as a 
substitute for the life and power of religion, and that where they prevail 
most there is least of the power of Christianity. Away with such 
portentious baubles from the worship of that Infinite Spirit, who re- 
quires his followers to worship him in spirit and in truth ; for to no 
such worship are those instruments friendly. See the text in the 
margin; see the use of trumpets in the sanctuary. Num. x: 2, etc., 
and the notes on these." 

Eph. v: 19. — "Singing and making melody in your heart." "The 
heart always going with the lips. It is a shocking profanation of 
divine worship to draw nigh to God with the lips while the heart is 
far from him. It is too often the case that in public worship men are 
carried off from the sense of the words by the sounds that are put to 
them. And how few choirs of singers are there in the Universe 
whose hearts ever accompany them in what they call singing the 
praises of God." 

Col. iii: 16. — "Singing with grace ir- the heart to the Lord." "The 
singing here recommended is widely different from what is common- 
ly used in most Christian congregations. A congeries of unmeaning 
sounds, associated to bundles of nonsensical and often ridiculous 
repetition, which at once deprave and disgrace the church of Christ. 
Melody which is allowed to be the most proper for devotional music 
is now sacrificed to an exhuberant harmony which requires not only 
many different kinds of voices, but different musical instruments to 
support it. And by these preposterous means the simplicity of 
Christian worship is destroyed, and all edification totally prevented. 
And this kind of singing is amply proved to be very injurious to the 
personal piety of those employed in it ; even of those who enter with 
a considerable share of humility and Christian meekness, how few 
continue to sing with grace in the heart to the Lord." 

OTHER TESTIMONIES AND COMMENTS AND EXPLANATIONS. 

It hinders obedience, and is, therefore, itself disobe- 
dience. 

In Col. iii : 16, Paul directs the disciples to "teach 
and admonish one another in psalms and hymns and 
spiritual songs. 

On this Dr. Barnes says : 

•'Their psalms and hymns were to be regarded as a method of 
teaching and admonishing." 

And he adds : 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 481 

11 Dr. Johnson once said, that if he were allowed to make the bal- 
lads of a nation, he cared not who made their laws. It is true in a 
more important sense that he who is permitted to make the hymns 
of a church, need care little who preaches or who makes the creed. 
He will more effectually mould the sentiments of the church than 
they who preach or make confessions. Hence, it is indispensable, in 
order to the preservation of the truth, that the sacred song of a 
church should be imbued with sound evangelical sentiment." 

Yet if the singing is not understood, no one is taught 
by it, and no good or evil could result, so far as senti- 
ment is concerned. But singing is one method of teach- 
ing, and hence we must sing, as well as read ar 1 speak, 
so it can be understood. 

In Eph. v : 19, Paul says : " Speaking to yourselves 
in psalms and hymns," etc. Barnes says : 

"Speaking among yourselves, that is, endeavoring to edify one 
another, and to promote purity of heart by songs of praise. This has 
the force of a command, and it is a matter of obligation on Chris- 
tians." 

But if we do not sing so as to be understood, we can- 
not obey this command or discharge this obligation, 

In 1 Cor. xiv: 15, Paul says: "I will sing with the 
spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also." 
The Greek for understanding is in the dative case, and 
hence should have to before it. Sing to the under- 
standing of the hearers, or so they can understand. 
Dr. Barnes says of this: 

" I will pray with the understanding also ; so that others may under- 
stand me. I will make the appropriate use of the intellect, so that it 
may convey ideas, and make suitable impressions on the minds of 
others. 1 ivill sing with the spirit. It is evident that the same thing 
might take place in singing which occurred in prayer. It might be 
in a foreign language, and might be unintelligible to others. * * 
It should be so done as to be intelligible and edifying to others. The 
words should be so uttered as to be distinct and understood. There 
should be clear enunciation as well as in prayer and preaching, since 
the design of sacred music in the worship of God, is not only to utter 
praise, but it is to impress the sentiments sung, which are on the heart, 
by the aid of musical sounds and expressions, more deeply than could 
31 



482 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY, 

otherwise be done. If this is not done, the singing might as well be 
in a foreign language." 

And may we not say, if the organ is used, we might 
as well sing in a foreign language, which is forbidden ? 
Therefore we should feel that the organ is forbidden, 
because it hinders the best effect of the singing. It 
hinders us also, in the clearest manner, from obeying 
the command to teach and admonish each other in 
singing. 

Matthew Henry says : " Singing is a gospel ordi- 
nance." And again he says it is a "teaching ordinance, 
as well as a praising ordinance." 

But if the organ is sounding, we cannot observe this 
ordinance, or obey the command. Dean Alford renders 
Col. iii: 16. 

" In all wisdom teaching and admonishing each other with psalms, 
hymns, etc." 

So all our learned commentators understand; and it 

is clear. 

1. The teaching in and by singing is a command — a 
holy ordinance of Christ. 

2. That the use of the organ in the worship forbids 
obedience to this very positive and very important 
command. 

3. If we sing, and sing to God, and with the spirit, 
yet we have but half way obeyed, till we sing so as to 
teach and admonish others. 

4. It is urged that the singing is not heard and un- 
derstood, as we now have it. Then let us improve the 
manner of singing. The singing is not what it should 
be, though greatly improved in the last few years. 
The history of singing among the Jews, in the Greek 
church, and in many other places, shows that large con- 
gregations can sing so as to be understood by all pres- 
ent. The words when sung should be understood as 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 483 

when read or spoken ; even the proper emphasis and 
pauses should be observed. 

5. Think of a congregation properly trained, and of 
the introduction of an organ, and what a bother I What 
a confusion ! They did not need it, and it spoils all 
the melody of their voices and their hearts, besides hin- 
dering obedience, and besides making a disturbance 
among the members. 

6. The Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge says of 
vocal music that, it " is the only kind that is permitted in 
the Greek and Scotch churches, or with few exceptions, 
in dissenting congregations in England. The vocal music 
of the imperial chorister in St. Petersburg incomparably 
surpasses in sweetness and effect the sounds produced by 
the combined power of the most exquisite musical in- 
struments." 

Surely the church has a right to this best music, as in 
apostolic times. 

ITS INTRODUCTION INTO CHRISTIAN WORSHIP. 

The Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge says: 
"That instrumental music was not practiced by the primitive 
Christians, but was an aid to devotion in later times, is evident from 
church history. The organ was first introduced into the church ser- 
vice by Marianus Sanatus, in the year 1290 ; and the first that was 
known of it in the west was one sent to Pepin by Constantius 
Copronymus aoout the middle of the eighth century." 

What a pity the apostles did not introduce this im- 
portant " aid to devotion ! " This sad oversight of these 
inspired men is very remarkable, if, indeed, this is an 
aid to devotion. 

Johnson's Encyclopedia says : 

"The organ is said to have been introduced into the church by 
Pope Vitalian in the seventh century." 

And this writer, like the preceding one quoted, was 



484 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

strongly in favor of instrumental music in the worship, 
and would have found it earlier if he could. 

Coleman's Christian Antiquities, one of the most 
popular and deserving books, and friendly to the organ, 
says: 

"The organ constituted no part of the furniture of the ancient 
churches. The first instance on record of its use in the church oc- 
curred in the time of Charlemagne, who received one as a present 
from Constantine Michael, which was set up in the church at Aix-la- 
Chapelle. The Greek church have never favored the use of the organ 
in the churches, and have generally restricted it to the theater and 
musical concerts." 

Thomas Anquinas says, A.D. 1250 : 

" Our church does not use musical instruments, as harps and psal- 
teries, in the praise of God, lest we should seem to Judaize." 

About A.D. 350, in the days of Sylvester, the church 
and state union was consummated, and those who could 
not so compromise the true worship of God were driven 
into the " wilderness " for 1260 years. They were 
known as Waldenses, Abigenses, etc., and inhabited the 
valleys of Piedmont, etc. We follow them and not the 
church of Rome, or the Greek church, when we would 
trace the history ot God's people. Luther found them 
there, and some of them are there yet. So far as I have 
been able to learn, they never used the organ in their 
worship. In this they were only preserving the apos- 
tolic worship as handed down to them, and as they con- 
stantly professed to do in other respects. 

It was only when Protestants became numerous and 
worldly, that they, like the Man of Sin, introduced in- 
strumental music in the churches. These are important 
facts, and cannot be denied. 

It was only after the Jews had become proud and 
worldly that they introduced instruments into their 
worship. It was only after the great anti-Christ had 



LIVE REL1GI0 US ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 485 

attained his manhood — not in his infancy — that he in- 
troduced it. lie existed in an embryotic state long be- 
fore ; but he became what the prophet calls a man, A.D. 
606, and it was long after this even before he corrupted 
the worship so far as to have an organ. Hitherto it had 
belonged to idol worship, to theaters, to musical con- 
certs, and the true and humble followers of Christ, the 
Waldenses, etc., through whom alone we must trace the 
church, never had these instruments. In one unbroken 
line we trace the true servants of Christ, and find no 
organ or other instruments in their worship. When the 
people departed far from the simplicity of the gospel, 
its purity and its spirit, then only did they introduce 
the organ. 

Such is the lesson furnished by history. Is there not 
meaning in it ? Shall we follow it with the very 
natural conclusion that now, only those want it who have 
not the spirit of Christ? We certainly do see that the 
humblest and wisest have no use for it, and cannot tol- 
erate it at all. Some pious people tolerate it because 
they have not duly considered it. Others, because they 
dislike to oppose. 

Can it be possible that the apostles would have with- 
held, or neglected to use, and recommend a means so 
important as instrumental music is claimed to be ? We 
know they had it, and might have used it. And we 
know had our organ preachers been there, and at the 
helm, it would have been used. 

What a pity some of them, and such as know the 
power of human names, high-sounding titles, human 
creeds, etc., did not live then ! They would, no doubt, 
have made some provisions for fine and costly churches, 
for evangelical — that is, clergy — authority, and for pleas- 
ing the world, so as to prevent the unceasing persecu- 



486 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

tion of Christians. Oil ! they would have smoothed the 
rough way wonderfully ! ! ! But as the case stands, we 
must either renounce the apostles as old fogies, narrow- 
gauged and uncultivated men, and march on with the 
enlightened " world," or we must deny ourselves, go 
hack and sit at the apostles' feet, learn of them, do as 
they did, and suffer, perhaps, as they and the ancient 
Christians did. Nothing is more certain than that, if 
the church to-day was what it was in the days of the 
apostles, and what the New Testament would make it, 
we would have no organ in it ! What other differences 
would appear may he seen by comparing the present 
practices with New Testament teaching. Perhaps the 
" Christian Baptist " and " third epistle of Peter " might 
he held in one hand, and the New Testament in the 
other, during the investigation. 

ITS INUTILITY AND THE BETTER WAY. 

The reasons assigned for the organ in the church 
are: 

1. It gives the proper key. 

2. It keeps time in singing. 

3. It supports the voice. 

4. It aids in learning to sing. 

The importance of these items is readily admitted 
hut, on fair and candid principles of argument, it must 
not he forgotten that evil may result also, and has, and 
does, and will, from the use of the organ in worship, 
and if the evil is greater than the good, then on eco- 
nomical principles, we should not have it; and we 
should inquire whether we cannot have the good with- 
out the evil. 

1. A good, plain tuning fork is far better in getting 
.the key. The organ gets out of tune, and sometimes 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 487 

the performer strikes the wrong key. The tuning fork 
is always ready, and will give the key infallibly every 
time; hence its positive excellence — all the good, and 
more, and none of the evil. 

2. A close examination will convince any one that 
the organ does not keep time properly. In the nature 
of the case it cannot. The performer has to guess, as 
the singer does, when time is not beat in the regular 
way, and cannot be accurate. Some have better time 
naturally, and can guess better, but no one keeps time 
accurately on the piano or organ. Hence, in our large 
churches, a man stands before the congregation to beat 
time, as well for the organ as for the people. I could 
here give many facts in proof, as all the well-informed 
know. Not very long since I attended a singing class, 
led by a very scientific professor, and accompanied by 
an organ, but the professor stood before the class, and 
beat time for the class and for the organ. They could 
have no harmony without, and churches with organs 
cannot have proper time or harmony from the organ, 
without some one to beat time, nor can there be any- 
thing worthy the name of music without the correct 
time. A lack here is absolute, and this lack is always 
realized where the organ leads. In very many instances 
recently and for years past, I have stood by the piano 
and organ, and sung and tried to beat time, and never 
succeeded, except I got the performer to follow me. It 
always leads wrongly, and those accustomed to sing 
with the organ sing wrongly, and fail to make good 
congregational music. They need the swelling sounds 
of the instruments to drown their voices, and so prevent 
the listeners from hearing the discord. This is the pur- 
pose it serves; it covers up our errors, and so prevents 
their correction. We need to see our errors in order to 



488 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

correct tliem ; but the organ prevents this largely, and 
hence is evil, and evil only, and that continually. 

Negroes generally have better time, but they keep 
time naturally, if not scientifically, by swinging their 
bodies or heads, or patting their feet. A gentleman — 
an organ man — told me the other day of an old negro, 
who was famous for his performance on the violin, 
which he always accompanied by patting his foot. At- 
tention was called to this. The old man did not under- 
stand the purpose served by patting his foot, and thought 
he could play without it; but every time he w^ould imper- 
ceptibly pat his foot ; finally both feet were tied, and he 
could not play at all. The performer on the piano and 
organ has both hands and feet engaged — head, body and 
eyes — and cannot beat time; hence the uniform failures. 
I never knew one to keep correct time, except as it fol- 
lowed those who beat time. 

And let it be observed that, while the organ fails to 
keep time, the most perfect time is kept without it. It 
is not only not a necessity — is positively and greatly in 
the way. It is true that in a solo there may be no dis- 
cord — the instrument and the single voice may agree, 
and sometimes a very happy effect may be produced, 
provided the instrument is not so used as to prevent the 
hearing of the words. Mr. Sankey, I am told does this. 
I heard Prof. Parker and others do it. Their organ was 
small, and at no time was it allowed to interrupt the 
distinct hearing of the words; in fact, it scarcely sound- 
ed at all — often not at all — except at intervals, i. e., be- 
tween stanzas and verses and at natural pauses. A close 
listener told me of hearing Mr. Moody address seven or 
eight thousand people, and his words not being distinctly 
heard, there was much talking in the distant parts of 
the audience, but when it was announced that Mr. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 489 

Sankey would sing a solo, his words were, "you might 
have heard a piu drop," — so anxious were they to hear 
every syllable. And they did hear, even better than 
when Mr. Moody was speaking. Yet they could not 
have heard, if the organ had sounded, as it usually does 
in churches. 

In the famous musical festival in San Francisco, May 
27-30, 1876 where there were 2,000 singers, 10,000 hearers, 
and vast numbers of all kinds of instruments, every singer 
and every performer had to keep an eye constantly on 
the long and swinging baton of the man who kept time. 
To talk of instruments keeping time is entirely out of 
the question. 

One of the standing objections to our common con- 
gregational singing is, its lack of time ; another is, its 
lack of distinct utterance. These two lacks make room 
for the organ, or for a plea for it, and it becomes the 
churches to remove them, by learning to sing correctly ; 
for this there can be no substitute. 

3. The fancied support of the voice is as manifest an 
error; the voice needs no support, and if it did it would 
not be found in the organ. All the organ can do is to 
drown the voice — not to support it. Music does not 
consist in volume, but in the concord of sweet sounds. 
Many believe they are aiding the music wonderfully, be- 
cause they have great volume of voice, when a scien- 
tific teacher feels that they are sac]ly, terribly in his way. 
The volume of voice in which they rejoice is a sore evil. 
Feeble voices are often far sweeter than strong ones. 
Melody means sweetness, and it is the sweetness we want, 
not the bellowing or roaring sound of the ox or lion. 
Sound and sense are not farther removed than are sound 
and music. Those who wish music to dance by, shout 
by, etc., and who cannot dance or shout when it ceases, 



490 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

may desire a large volume of sound, and a perpetual 
connection — sound without a pause ; but scientific and 
intelligent Christian people desire pauses at various 
places, especially at the close of stanzas; hence, here 
also, the organ is just in the way instead of " support- 
ing the voice." 

4. It is alleged that an instrument is important in 
learning to sing, and this like the other points claimed, 
has not been verified. It is true that many teachers use 
instruments, but it is also true that many of the best 
and most successful do not, and their pupils learn quite 
as fast and make at least as good singers — I think decid- 
edly better singers. To-day I can point to several 
places, where it is no question in the community, that those 
who do not use an organ have better singing than those 
who do. This can be verified anywhere. A proper 
trial will show that better singers are made, and better 
singing is had, where the organ is not, and never was 
used. I appeal to this as a fixed and certain fact that 
means much. In fact, where it is fully established — as 
it is in my observation, and in the observation of many 
others — it would seem to settle the question perma- 
nently. 

Those who use the organ are not so capable of judg- 
ing. They cannot sing as well without it, because they 
learned to sing with it. They are not so independent, 
so confident, so safe, so ready in singing, because they 
lean on a bending and uncertain support. Yet many, 
even of these, admit the superiority of the singing in 
many localities where the the organ has never been 
used. 

Those who learn Latin, Greek or French, by study- 
ing English translations, never make good scholars. 
Those who study mathematics by keys, never make 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 491 

mathematicians. To start right we must master the 
rudiments ; if this requires time and labor, very well — 
the result will be good. If some students are slow 
starting, they will run well when they do start ; and 
this, as a well-known principle, applies with all its force 
to the study of singing. If one knows what sound to 
give he will not he afraid to give it. If he knows how 
long to dwell on a note, he will not he afraid to give it 
its proper time ; and if the voice is weak, it certainly 
does not need an organ to keep it from being heard. 

Let but one-half of the time and money now devoted to 
piano and organ music in our schools and families be 
devoted to learning to sing — learning the principles of 
music, learning to modulate and control the voice, etc., 
and what music we should have ! As the heavens are 
higher than the earth, so would this be superior to all 
instrumental music. 

The redeemed are to sing forever — not to play on in- 
struments forever. Those who have concluded, without 
proper investigation, that Kev. xiv : 2, 3 ; xviii : 21, 22, 
mean that instrumental music will be found in the 
heavenly and eternal state, would certainly do well to 
look and consider the subject, before they utter again a 
sentiment so foreign from reason and propriety. Other 
pretences of argument are even more shallow, and 
hence undeserving of special notice. 

ITS VIOLATION OF THE LAW OF LOVE. 

There is a law of love. All classes of people recog- 
nize it verbally. There should be a love of law. " All 
things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, 
do ye even so to them." Matt, vii: 12. This is recog- 
nized as the "golden rule," the law of love, and the 
supreme governing principle of the Christian system. 



492 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

On it hung all the law and the prophets. On it hang 
now all the gospel, and the peace and prosperity of the 
church. No one can trample on it, or disregard it, and 
be the friend of Christ. Its importance is supreme and 
absolute. To this all agree. 

Now, is not this law most rudely trampled on when 
instrumental music is introduced in the worship ? The 
same is true of eating meats, making sacrifices after the 
Mosaic law, keeping of holy days, and whatever is not 
necessary to the worship. All can worship without 
these, and the worship is perfect and acceptable. All 
cannot conscientiously worship with them, and they are 
confessedly, not necessary to the apostolic worship. It 
is known that the first Christians, and the apostles wor- 
shiped without them, when they could have used them, 
and would, had they been proper. Therefore, the 
organ and all of its class, are unnecessary disturbers of 
the peace and union of Christians. They are peace- 
breakers. Take them away and the strife ceases. In 
many communities, the organ alone is the cause of 
strife; while it is admitted, that like meats offered to 
idols, it is not necessary to the worship. Remove the 
organ, (the cause) and the strife ceases. It is the thorn 
in the flesh of many true and faithful Christians. "The 
words of a tale-bearer are as wounds, they go clown into 
the innermost parts of the belly ;" (Prov. xviii : 8 ;) but 
not deeper than goes the organ. " Where there is no 
tale-bearer, the strife ceaseth ; " " the words of a tale- ' 
bearer are as wounds ; " (Prov. xxvi : 20, 22 ;) but not 
deeper, or more unnecessary or grievous wounds than 
those inflicted by the organ and other human innova- 
tions in the worship. The law of love forbids them all 
as with a voice fresh from the cross and the mercy-seat ! 

In Rom. xiv, and 1 Cor. viii, Paul decides (1) that eat- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 493 

ins: of meats killed as a sacrifice to an idol is not sin- 
ful, per se; (2) we can serve God without them — 
" Meat commends us not to God ; " (3) it is sinful when 
it gives offence, or causes one to stumble. That which 
is right in itself becomes sinful in its effects when it de- 
stroys peace and harmony. But some loved meat more 
than they loved peace and good will. So, some love the 
organ more than they love their fellow disciples, or the 
welfare of the church, or the salvation of sinners. Paul 
said : 

" If meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no 
meat while the world standeth. 

"It is good not to eat meat, or drink wine, or any 
other thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offend- 
ed, or is made weak. 

" Wherefore, if ye sin so against his weak conscience, 
ye sin against Christ/' 

But very many will have the organ at all hazards — 
offend or please ! And they say we have no right to be 
offended ! — we have no right to be weak, etc. Paul did 
not say so concerning meat, etc. The law of love does 
not say so. ^N"o man would have others so unneces- 
sarily disregard his rights and feelings ; not one. Let no 
man, therefore, so disregard others. 

This is the law of love, and this the love of law, the 
fear of God, the purity of worship, and the peace that 
passeth knowledge. Let us labor " for the things that 
make for peace ; for the things with which one may 
edify another." To popularize the church with an un- 
godly world, is not to purify it, or to advance its true 
interests. Paul said : " If I yet pleased men, I should 
not be the servant of Christ." Gal. i : 10. Are we 
really seeking to please men, even at the displeasing of 
Christ? This is not to be like Paul or like Christ. To 



494 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

please and to profit are often very different ideas. " We 
speak not as pleasing men, but God." 1 Thess. ii : 4. 
" Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good 
to edification." Rom. xv : 2. Beyond this to please 
him may be to harm him. Christians are not to be 
" men pleasers." Col. iii : 22. 

" The friendship of the world is enmity with God. 
If any man will be the friend of the world, he is the 
enemy of God." 

Christians should not be of the world, even as Christ 
was not of the world. John xvii. 

" If ye were of the world, the world would love its 
own ; but because I have chosen you out of the world, 
therefore the world hateth you." 

Is there no meaning in this expressive language? 
" Be not conformed to the world, but be ye trans- 
formed," etc. Rom. xii. Shall we still seek to please 
the world, at the expense of piety and peace — the ruin 
of the church, and of the world also ? Or shall we, like 
Christian heroes, like men of faith, stand for truth, for 
Christ, for peace and love, for piety and humanity, for 
the favor and peace of God, and for eternal life ? 
Paul's teaching according to love. 

All this effort is with and for those who venerate the 
will of God. Hence, the constant appeal to his word. 
At present we have nothing for those who can afford to 
disregard, pervert and trample upon it. 

As it would occupy too much space to copy 1 Cor. 
viii, and Rom. xiv and xv ; and as the reader has the 
Testament, let him turn and read these carefully, and 
consider the attending circumstances and connections in 
order to understand Paul here. Then let us note a few 
items : 

1. There was a class of things at Rome and at 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 495 

Corinth — and everywhere else, no doubt — that did not 
" commend us to God." In this class Paul names the 
eating of meats killed as sacrifices to idols, and the ob- 
serving of new moons, and "holy days.'"' Many other 
things belonged to this class then, and do now. They 
were not things commanded or forbidden. There was 
no law on the subject up to that time. They were 
properly things indifferent. God did not care whether 
they did them or not. They belonged not to the wor- 
ship. The worship was complete without them. They 
were not wrong per se. But, they commended no one 
to God. If they ate, or observed them, they were not 
the better religiously ; if they ate not or observed them 
not, they were not the worse religiously. Here w T as 
Christian liberty. They could do as they pleased. But 
there was one restriction on this liberty in things indif- 
ferent to God. 

2. There was a class of disciples whom Paul calls 
iceak — weak, not in body, or mind, or general intelli- 
gence, perhaps ; but in faith and knowledge as to this 
class of things. These Paul holds in contrast with 
another class, whom he calls strong — strong in faith and 
knowledge as to this class of things. This knowledge 
was not in every one, as he affirms. They all lacked 
knowledge on some points, as we do now. 

3. The restriction Paul puts on the liberty of the 
strong ones was, that they should respect the weakness 
of the weak ; not scowl upon tnem ; not indulge con- 
tempt for them, but respect and regard them — " receive 
them," " as Christ has received you." And this respect 
was to be shown by their abstaining from the things in 
different, when they were offensive. They could well 
afford to do this. They lost nothing by it religiously, 
and they gained the love and respect ot the weak, and 



496 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

preserved peace and harmony in the church. Paul was 
so much in earnest as to this, that he says, refusing to 
practice this self-denial was not walking " according to 
love." " Now walkest thou not charitably ; " and " when 
you sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak 
conscience, ye sin against Christ." He " pleased not 
himself." He denied himself to please and profit others. 
And he cannot be pleased when we refuse, and disre- 
gard the conscience and weakness of our brethren. He 
counts all such disregard a sin against him personally. 
" Ye sin against Christ." These things, not wrong in 
themselves, became evil in their effects, and brought 
guilt. They were stumbling blocks to the weak, for 
whom Christ died, and whom he regards, and whom we 
must regard or be guilty before him. This is enjoining 
and enforcing the law of love, the greatest of all the 
laws and commands. 1 Cor. xiii : 13. If we could dis- 
regard and be guiltless, we might safely trample on all 
the rest, die in disobedience, and yet rest in heaven. 
But "Tie that loveth not his brother whom he hath 
seen, how can he love God," etc. 1 John iv : 20. 

4. These weak brethren had consciences as well as 
others. Paul would have them regard their conscience, 
not debauch them; and he required the strong to re- 
spect and regard them, though it required restraint and 
self-denial even in things indifferent. He did not inti- 
mate or tolerate the idea that the weak had no con- 
science in the matter, that it was prejudice and igno- 
rance, and that to regard them would be an undue and 
unjust sacrifice of their liberty in Christ. Far from it. 
The sacrifice and restraint were just and proper, and 
would pay well. 

5. All this pertains to matters purely indifferent; 
matters not wrons; in themselves. There are two other 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 497 

classes of matters to be considered: Things wrong in 
themselves, and things incident to the worship — con- 
nected with it, and yet not a part of it. The things 
wrong in themselves are, of course, condemned. The in- 
cidentals may he right or wrong. Such are the place and 
time of day for assembling; the length of time spent in 
the assembly ; Avho shall lead the meetings ; whether 
they should have notes or ballads to sing from, and a 
tuning fork to get the sound; the special conveniences 
for comfort, etc. It is plain that they could worship at 
any place that might be agreed upon, any hour of the 
day, and with, or without notes, ballads, tuning forks, 
line seats and other comforts. Perhaps some of the 
weak ones objected, and would have been hurt by some 
of these things. What then ? Why, plainly, if we are 
bound to refrain from the other things, which were 
wholly indifferent, we must refrain from these, when 
they are offensive. We can worship without most of- 
them. It is better to have no regular house of worship 
and have harmony, than to have the finest house with 
strife. The plea that, if we begin to yield, we will have 
to continue till we lose all our liberties, and become the 
slaves of ignorance and prejudice, and be ruled by the 
weak, is not good. Paul does not justify it. He says : 
"It is evil for that man who eateth with offence." " It 
is good neither to eat flesh, nor drink wine, nor any 
thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or 
is made weak." This inhibition includes everything 
not really necessary to the worship ; such as instrumen- 
tal music. When the tuning fork, the ballads, notes, 
etc., become a stumbling block even to the weak, then, 
away with them, also. Brotherly love is worth infin- 
itely more than all these. So far, no one has stumbled at 
them. Perhaps none ever will. 
32 



498 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

6. Paul continually puts himself forward as an exam- 
ple. He would not enjoin on others that which he did 
not practice himself. Hence he says : " Wherefore, if 
meat maketh my brother to stumble, I will eat no flesh 
forevermore, that I make not my brother to stumble." 
The meaning seems to be, that he would eat no meat 
of any kind — he would abstain from ail meat, rather 
than offend his weak brother. Of course he meant they 
should have the same regard for their brethren. This 
was a good exemplification of brotherly love. 

7. Paul would not do a thing concerning the pro- 
priety of which he had doubts, when he could take a 
course that was undoubted and clear. And this course, 
he also enjoins on his brethren. " He that doubteth is 
condemned if he eat." He is not sure he is right, and 
takes an unnecessary risk. He is not scrupulous enough, 
not sufficiently careful and conscientious as to being 
right. There are matters concerning which we cannot 
be entirely certain. Paul himself did not always know 
what he should pray for. Rom. viii : 26. And John 
would not affirm anything as to praying for a "sin unto 
death." 1 John v : 16. But the man who deliberately 
takes a doubtful course, because he prefers it, when he 
could take a course free from doubt, even though it be 
some sacrifice, is unwise, disobedient, and " condemned 
already." He walks in darkness, and prefers darkness 
to light. Such people generally prefer the ordinances 
and ways of men, and their own ways, to the ways of 
God. But they are condemned and will realize their 
folly when " all stand before the judgment seat of Christ." 

M. E. LARD ON 1 COR. VIII, AND ROM. XIV AND XV. 

Moses E. Lard was not by nature precisely like "the 
beloved disciple,;" but he was a ripe scholar, an able 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 499 

and true man, and what lie says is generally well said. 
In his Quarterly he opposed and denounced the use of 
instrumental music in the worship, as greatly violative 
of the law of love, and as an insufferable outrage of the 
will of God, and destructive of the purity and peace of 
the church. In his commentary on the " Letter to the 
Romans," he seeks to give just the meaning of Paul's 
language. Though he does not materially differ from 
other learned men, the following quotations seem pre- 
cisely in place. Of Rom. xiv he says: 

"It is pre-eminently the chapter of duties in regard to things in- 
different in themselves; and it is of great importance because of the 
principles it lays down for the government of a large section of Chris- 
tian life. It shows what liberty we have in the absence of divine 
command, and yet how, even here, w r e may be bound. * * * In 
matters of indifference each man is a law to himself. Accordingly, in 
such cases, we must leave each to act out his own sense of right." 

But he does not regard instrumental music in the 
worship as a thing indifferent. It is not by far. Let 
this be remembered. Hence what he says bears with 
more force against it. 

Verse 11. " By bending the knee to the Lord, we shall recognize his 
authority over us as supreme Judge." 

Bowing is an act of worship, and he who refuses to 
bow before Jesus Christ, to whom all the angels bow, 
refuses to worship him. He can stand up and argue the 
case, instead of uniting with the hosts of heaven in 
bowing or falling prostrate before him ! But he will 
learn at last. 

Verse 13. " But rather do you decide on this, not to place a stumb- 
ling block or means of falling before a brother. Here the reference 
is to the strong ; and although the transition from the weak to the 
strong is abrupt, it nevertheless is made. Do you, the strong, instead 
of despising your weak brother, rather decide on this, not to place a 
stumbling block in his way. The stumbling block consists in eating 
meat. But how could eating meat become a stumbling block in the 
way of the weak, or how was the weak in danger of falling over it? 



500 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

There are but two ways conceivable by me : 1. He might either be 
driven off from the church, and so become an apostate ; or 2, be em- 
boldened to eat meat himself, and so become an idolater. Either way 
would prove his ruin." 

And we are accountable for his ruin when we drive 
him off for the sake of things indifferent, or for the 
sake of anything not necessary to the worship — like the 
organ. 

Verse 14. " If the eater deems the eating wrong, he should abstain 
from it ; for we are not at liberty to violate conscience even in a right 
act in itself. How much less then in one w T rong in itself." 

As he elsewhere says instrumental music in the wor- 
ship is. For a man to eat when he thought it was 
wrong was to act the hypocrite. So is he who worships 
with the organ when he thinks it is wrong. He should 
preserve a good conscience. 

Verse 15. " If your brother is grieved by your eating certain food, 
you no longer walk according to love if you persist in eating it. But 
you are bound to w r alk always according to love. The conclusion is 
inevitable. You must refrain from eating it." 

This refers to things in themselves indifferent. How 
much more important in things the apostles intention- 
ally left out of the worship, and which are neither nec- 
essary to living or worshiping ! 

" A church, suppose, is composed of one hundred members, and I 
among them. Ninety-nine of these members decide to put an organ 
into our house of worship. The use of an organ in worship grieves 
my conscience, and is offensive to my feelings. Do the ninety-nine' 
walk according to love when they put the organ in ? Fifty members 
of the same church frequent theatres. Five members, good and 
pious, but weak, are grieved by the practice. Do the fifty walk ac- 
cording to love when they walk into the theatre ? Five members of 
the same church traffic in whiskey. Twenty members, and they 
among the best, but weak, are grieved by the trafficking. Do the five 
walk according to love when they persist in their trade? These are 
practical questions of some importance." 

"But in reply to this it may be said: Suppose the weak should 
continue, and still continue to be grieved with our conduct, item by 
item? Where would the matter end? Would not all our liberties 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 501 

in Christ at last be taken from us ? [Answer.] Have the weak ever 
heretofore been thus unreasonable ? Never. And what they have 
not heretofore done, they are not likely hereafter to do. An imagi- 
nary case is no basis for argument. * * * It is better to seem not 
free than that our freedom should lead to mischief. * * * If eat- 
ing meat, or doing any other similar thing, grieves a brother, and 
thereby causes trouble, it is better not to eat. Rather, let us do that 
which will lead to peace ; for peace secured in this delicate way is of 
far higher importance than the mere circumstance of eating meat." 

Y. 21. " We are to do nothing, * * in things strictly indifferent, 
where the act injures another. The question is not what is the na- 
ture of the act in itself, but does it injure another? If so, we must 
abstain from it," V. 23. " We must not do a thing till we know it is 
right." * * " If we wound or displease our neighbor, we drive 
him off, and so pull down the work of God. * * " What Christ did 
is our law." 

We cannot misunderstand this writer; and yet he is 
no plainer than Paul was. The remaining and impor- 
tant question is, Will we regard this heavenly teach- 
ing, and so preserve purity and peace in the church? 
Or shall our unsanctified self-will prevail ? Will we 
displease our brethren, sow " discord among brethren," 
and divide the churches, in order to gratify our uncruci- 
fied flesh, conciliate and please an ungodly world ? 

WHAT OTHER PROMINENT MEN THINK OF THESE THINGS. 

Isaac JErrett, in his " True basis of Christian Union," 
says, on the whole scope of the theme concerning this 
reformation : 

" It grew up, in the first place, out of a deep abhorrence of sectari- 
anism. This was its origin." 

Of the early laborers in this work, he says : 
" They addressed themselves to the work of seeking for a basis of 
Christian union and fellowship that might result tn the annihilation 
of parties, and that would tend to the union of the people of God. 

* * It was a living unity that these men were battling for, a 
union in harmony with the highest possible Christian liberty and the 
right of private interpretation," which is the right of " private opin- 



502 LIVE RELIGIOUS ICSUES OF THE DAY. 

ion." " The first condition is faith in Jesus Christ; the second is 
obedience to Jesus Christ ; and in all else the widest range of free- 
dom, each one for himself being responsible to God. There are re- 
strictions placed on this freedom, which it may be well to observe. If, 
in exercising my freedom, I offend or injure a brother, or disturb his 
conscience, or mislead him by my example, the law of love directs 
me to abandon that right rather than injure a soul for whom Christ 
died. Like Paul, the Christian might say, ' I will eat no meat nor 
drink wine, nor do anything else by which my brother is made to 
stumble or to offend.' Such are the restraints of the law of love. * 
* * Such is my love for spiritual freedom that I say, deliberately, 
that I would rather work as a scavenger, cleaning your gutters for 
fifty cents a day, live on bread and water, and have a free soul, than 
as a minister to stand in the proudest pulpit in this city, a slave to 
any party, to preach at the dictation of any ecclesiastical party. If I 
deny Jesus, I am a traitor, in my heart. I have denied the creed 
and should be rejected. If I persistently violate the commandments 
of Jesus, the church has a right to reject me." 

This writer clearly felt that lie had no right to urge 
his opinions and prejudices on others, to their hurt — as 
in the case of the organ, humanly organized socie- 
ties, etc. And in the close, he would be understood 
that, in doing so, he denied the faith, and should be re- 
jected by the church, if he would persist in this course. 
These are the ideas urged in these pages. No man need 
claim the continued forbearance and fellowhip of the 
church when he does so. 

Prof. L B. Grubbs, of the Bible College, in The Re- 
view of 1885, says : 

" There is trouble in the church at . * * * An organ was 

introduced, an organist who was not a church member was employed 
to play, and a non-professor employed to come and sing for the 
church. Festivals, etc., followed. There was a portion of the 
church, including some of the most intelligent, pious, constant and 
earnest laborers— pillars of the church, who dissented with protesta- 
tions, entreaties and tears, all of which were unheeded. So, about 
twenty dropped off, feeling that they could not dishonor their Lord, 
in so corrupting the worship ; nor could they be idle, so accustomed 
were they to labor for the church. So they met one night in the week, 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 503 

to study the Scriptures, had Sunday School and broke the loaf. All 
this they still keep up, but they are looked upon as factionists, and 
treated as heretics by the church there, and by the preachers in that 
part of the state. * * A spirit which conies at first softly, preach- 
ing toleration and liberty, and in the end turns out to be the most il- 
liberal and proscriptive that ever fell under my observation. 

Let the lovers of Jesus and pupils of Paul look on this picture, 
intelligent, pious, constant and earnest laborers,' yet spurned in be- 
half of an unauthorized instrument, played upon by an unconverted 
organist, accompanied by an unconverted singer, substituting a mu- 
sical performance for the worship of God. The church referred to, 
and the preachers spoken of in the extract above given belong to a 
religious body, the propriety of whose very existence is founded on 
an effort to return to the religion of the New Testament in letter 
and in spirit." 

Hundreds of such cases might he here recited. They 
are all over the land — cases even worse, if possible — 
cases where the organ has been clandestinely forced in- 
to the worship without leave of the church, by schem- 
ing diotrepheses, and submitted to by a large part, 
rather than stand up and oppose, and be opposed hj others 
to the loss of fellowship. This class must compromise 
their conscience, and so be hypocrites, or withdraw, and 
bear the scorn of the corrupters of the worship, as if 
they had introduced and urged the cause of the trouble ! 
In many cases, in fact, they are openly charged with 
the very offence committed by the others ! They are 
called factionists by those who caused the faction by 
urging their opinions and preferences, contrary 'to the 
above named restrictions, and in violation of the law 
of love, and the well-understood principles recognized 
by the fathers in this reformation ! And they add the 
sins of false acusation and glorying in popularity with 
the ungodly. Just so it was in the first corruption of 
the worship, as the history of the church fully shows. 

The (Allen) Apostolic Guide say^ of such cases : 
" The church that persists in its introduction regardless of the pro- 



504 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

tests of good men and women, and of the grief and alienation it will 
produce, is no more worthy to be called a church of Jesus Christ 
than a band of ' Free-thinkers, who despise God's law and legislate 
for themselves. And as to preachers who lend themselves to such 
service of the devil in the livery of heaven, we have no more Christ- 
ian fellowship for them than we have for bloated Catholic priests. 
We ' mark such and avoid them,' not because they favor the organ, 
but because they are schismatics, and we are under divine obligation 
to ' avoid ' all such. Rom. xvi : 17, 18." 

C. H. Spurgeon, the world-renowned, nominal, Free- 
will Baptist preacher, who has elders and deacons, breaks 
the loaf every Lord's day, and comes nearer the apos- 
tolic order than other great partisans, does not abso- 
lutely denounce all those who use the organ in worship, 
but does not have it, and like our own giant, L. B. 
Wilkes, is ever ready to ridicule it. In his comment on 
Ps. xxxiii : 2, he says : 

" Praise the Lord with the harp.— Israel was at school, and used child- 
ish things to help her learn ; but in these days, when Jesus gives us 
spiritual manhood, one can make melody without strings and pipes. 
* * * We do not need them ; they would hinder rather than help 
our praise. Sing unto him.— This is the sweetest and best music. No 
instrument like the human voice." 

Then he quotes I. M. Neat ; 

"Here we have the first mention of musical instruments in the 
Psalms. It is to be obrerved that the early fathers, almost with one 
accord, protest against their use in churches, as they are forbidden in 
the eastern church to this day, where yet, by the consent of all, the 
singing is infinitely superior to anything that can be heard in the 

west." 

Also Thomas Aqidras ; 

" Our church does not use musical instruments, as harps and psal- 
teries, to praise God withal, that she may not seem to Judaize." 

Then Chrysostom,; 

"It was only permitttedto the Jews, as sacrafice was, for the heavi- 
ness and grossness of their souls. God condescended to their weak- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 505 

ness, because they were lately drawn off from idols ; but now, instead 
of organs we may use our own bodies to praise him with." 

Then comes Justin Martyr ; 

" The use of singing with instrumental music was not received in 
the Christian churches as it was among the Jews in their infant state, 
but only the use of plain song." 

He makes many such quotations, and on Ps. xlii : 4. 

Spur [icon says : 

" David appears to have had a peculiarly tender remembrance of 
the singing of the pilgrims and assuredly it is the most delightful part 
of worship, and that which comes nearest to the adoration of heaven. 
What a degradation to supplant the intelligent song of the whole 
congregation by the theatrical prettiness of a quartette, the refined 
niceties of a choir, or the blowing off of wind from inanimate bellows 
and pipes I We might as well pray by machinery as praise by it." 

In Vol. 2, page 124, and elsewhere Spurgeon gives 
long extracts from Wells, Geier and others, which are 
of much interest. It would be cenvenient to quote the 
language of our ablest and best men, declaring this use 
of the organ, the choir, etc., as sinful. One very solemn 
protest, signed by those who for years had kept up the 
regular worship, says it " is sinful, and brings guilt not 
to be forgiven till repented of." Solemn and earnest 
protests have been rspectfully urged by those who had 
done most for the churches in San Francisco, Oakland 
and a hundred other places, only to be utterly disre- 
garded and trampled upon." Yet these sinners against 
Christ and their brethren, (1 Cor. viii : 12,) do not feel 
that they are guilty and need repentance and pardon ! ! 
Simpson Ely, who has fully tried the organ, and has 
seen and felt its effects, as thousands of others have, 
has this to say of its sinfulness : 

" I am for peace once and forever on this question, and I see but 
one way to secure this desired end, and that is, for the organ party to 
sacrifice their preferences, and do without the use of instrumental 



506 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

music in the churches. I am willing to make this sacrifice for the 
sake of unity. Are you? Let all who are in favor of doing so stand 
up and be counted. All agree that we sacrifice no principle in 
giving up the organ. Its use is only an expedient. (?) There is no 
"thus saith the Lord " for it. Its use has neither precept, command 
nor example to sustain it in the New Testament scriptures. 

It is a fact that there has been no greater cause for contention and 
strife than the organ controversy, and it is folly to perpetuate a practice 
that causes contention and that continually. 

You may say that those who fight against the use of the organ in 
the churches are only fighting foibles; but this does not change the 
matter in the least. The strife exists, and if it is about foibles we 
ought to be willing to remove the foibles, that the strife may cease !! 

To perpetuate such a strife is child's play, and wholly unworthy of 
a Christian people. Here in Kirksville we don't use the organ. We 
have one, but it is silent. We feel uder obligations to regard the feel- 
ings of those who are opposed to its use. We can more easily sacri- 
fice our preferences than we can sacrifice the feelings of our good 
brethren and sisters in Christ. 

It is sometimes said that those who are anti-organ are anti-e very- 
thing else. This is an unjust imputation. Some of the most self- 
sacrificing, devoted saints I have ever seen are deeply grieved by the 
introduction of the organ. We can't afford to crown their lives with 
thorns ; we cannot afford to ruthlessly trample their feelings beneath 
our feet. 

Men have consciences upon this question. Such men as Benjamin 
Franklin, Jacob Creath, C. C. Cline and J. W. McGarvey have es- 
teemed the use of the organ as sinful. No matter what we may 
think about it, they look upon their reasons and arguments as convinc- 
ing, and palsied be my hand when I shall persist in a practice that 
will offend such great and good men. 

I have almost reached the conclusion that the use of the organ is 
not helpful at all. Certain am I that the best music I have ever had 
in my meetings has been in those churches without organs. 

I have devoted almost five years to holding meetings, and I am 
ceitain that the largest results have followed my labors in those 
churches without organs. Whether there is any connection between 
this and that I cannot say ; but it does convince me that it will in no 
wise cripple our work to sacrifice the organ, and we may largely heal 
the wounds of the past by doing so." 

There can be no possible excuse or apology in justifi- 
cation of those who persist in causing this strife. They 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 507 

arc sinners, and should if possible be made to feel their 
guilt. It would be the very best service we could ren- 
der them. 

THREE CLASSES IN THE CHURCHES. 

In almost every church there are, or were, three 
classes of members, touching this question : 

I. Those who seek worldly popularity and the 
pleasures of sense are for the organ in divine 
worship. Their arguments and quotations show that they 
have not properly investigated the subject, and do not 
properly regard the authority of the Holy Scriptures. 
Their actions, too, and their management to get in the 
organ, when they know it is not necessary to the wor- 
ship, and that it will cause serious trouble, show their 
lack of brotherly love, and their worldliness, generally. 
This applies only to the prime movers, and zealous 
workers for it. 

II. Those who desire to be right and do right, but 
have not duly investigated the subject, and are, there- 
fore not prepared to say very much ; who are in their 
hearts, opposed to it, but dislike to oppose or give 
trouble, and therefore submit. This is a very large 
class. 

III. Those who have investigated the matter, and are 
imsufierably opposed to it; who cannot submit to its 
use, in the worship without a sacrifice of their con- 
science, and who have faith and firmness enough to 
act out what they believe to be right. Of these, there 
are two classes . 1. Those who can worship with those 
who use it, but who take no part in that part where the 
instrument is used. 2. Those who cannot worship with 
a congregation using it, under the impression that, as a 
congregation, their candlestick is removed, though, as 



508 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

at Sardis, there may be many righteous souls there. 
The writer belongs to this class. This class, unfortu- 
nately, is often a minority. For them there are only 
three ways : (1.) To compromise their consciences ; (2.) 
To neglect their duty in observing the Lord's ordi- 
nances ; (3.) Form a new church, and bear all that must 
come upon them in the faithful performance of their 
duties. We have now many such faithful little bands 
of disciples bearing reproach, for the name of Christ. 

In many places it is claimed that there is no opposi- 
tion to the organ. This, if true at all, is only true after 
the dominant party has driven out, or crushed out those 
who did oppose. We have never known a place where 
there were not opposers to the introduction of the 
organ, or where there are not those who oppose it now 
in their hearts, and submit to it only because they feel 
as if there were no other chance. Some of those driven 
out have gone to the world. Some have united with 
other churches. Some have formed new churches, and 
some are dragging out a miserable life, comparatively, 
for lack of brethren. What an accounting there must 
be for these evil doers ? 

It is most certainly the duty of every disciple to in- 
vestigate this subject, and take the course which will 
most surely commend us to the mercy and love of God 
for comfort and strength, and to the Bible for guidance. 
Let them remember that majorities have generally been 
wrong — as in the days of Noah ; that it is even danger- 
ou to be popular with an ungodly people; that our soul's 
salvation depends on strict and faithful obedience to 
Jesus Christ ; and that they need not fear what 
man can do. These trials will soon pass, and we shall 
have credit for being true to our candid convictions of 



LIVE REL1GI0 US ISSCES OF THE DA Y. 509 

truth and duty — faithful to Christ. The Lord help us 
so to live that the Judge may say, at the last, " Well 
done." , 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 

Preachers and Preaching, Teachers and Teaching, Etc. — Differ- 
ence between preaching and teaching ; 'long extract from A. 
Campbell ; preaching for the world, teaching for the church — the 
school of Christ ; the Bishops the teachers ; the insufficiency and 
absurdity of pretending to teach by textuary sermonizing ; 
Christianity cannot be taught in this way ; the proper manner — 
the Bible class or social style, all present, book in hand, and hav- 
ing studied the lesson of the day, all read and take part, ask 
and answer questions ; Law and Medical schools — lectures didac- 
tic, then study, then the quiz ; 13 items on the manner of pro- 
cedure on Lord's day; not possible to fail to learn much this 
way ; comparison with the popular way ; the selfish pastors of the 
Jews — quotations, etc.; objections answered ; the results of call- 
ing in the preachers to be pastors ; how the gospel did spread — 
man's way and God's way ; prodigal use of money in church 
houses ; in pastors, in costly and pridy church houses — results in 
figures and facts ; popular course not God's way and can never 
convert the world to the love and service of Christ ; God's draw- 
ing power not fine church houses, etc., but Christ lifted up ; a 
fair trial in San Francisco ; ancient synagogues of satan, and 
what Jesus said of them ; many think they are rich, etc., when 
they are not ; the only safe way. 

It is very unfortunate, in the investigation of truth, 
that we should have to turn aside to note and clearly op- 
pose errors. Bat it is so. Preachers aud preaching are 
almost everything to the church now — preaching to the 
church, and for the church. And there is a great back- 
wardness, even among the disciples, to recognize prac- 
tically the difference between piraching and teaching. 
This distinction must be clearly drawn before we are 
prepared to proceed with the present lesson. In a dis- 
course, by A. Campbell, at an annual state meeting, in 
(510) 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 511 

Harrodsburg, Ky., 1853, as appears in the M. Harbin- 
ger for that year, we have the following language . 

" Preaching the gospel, and teaching the converts are as distinct 
and distinguishable employments as enlisting an army and training 
it, or as creating a school and teaching it. Unhappily for the church 
and the world, this distinction, if at all conceded as legitimate, is ob- 
literated or annulled in almost all protestant Christendom. The pub- 
lic heralds of Christianity, acting as missionaries or evangelists, and 
the elders or pastors of Christian churches are indiscriminately de- 
nominated preachers or ministers; and whether addressing the 
church or the world, they are alike preaching, or ministering some 
things they call gospel. * * * They seem to have never learned 
the difference between preaching and teaching. * * * Yet we are 
informed that the apostles, daily in the temple and from house to 
house, ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. They preached 
Christ to the world, and they taught his gospel and its institutions to 
the churches which they had gathered, or to the households they had 
converted. The commission itself, as reported by Matthew, explicit- 
ly and fully lays out their work, * * in the following words: 
1 All authority in heaven and earth is given to me ; Go ye, therefore 
and convert, or make disciples out of all nations, baptizing them into 
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit ; teaching 
them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and 
behold I am with you always, or all the days, to the end of the world, or 
to the conclusion of this age.' * * They were to convert the nations 
by preaching to them the gospel, and baptizing them that believed it. 
They were then to create schools or colleges ; in other words, they 
were to institute communities, erect houses or habitations for God, 

* * * through the Hol} r Spirit, who was to become the guest of 
these new habitations of God, as his permanent residence on earth. 

* * These schools were to be filled with none but baptized believ- 
ers. * * * Each school was to have its college of elders or bishops, 
who were to teach, educate and direct all 'the disciples or members of 
the churches, and preside over them by their intelligence, their wis- 
dom and ther virtue. The preacher is a mere solicitor of pupils.' 
The field of his labor is the world — the whole world. In preaching 
he does no more than to set forth the sovereign claims of the great 
Apostle and Teacher sent from God. * * * "When he succeeds in 
this, his appropriate mission and commission, and consummates his 
work by immersing them, soul, body and spirit into the name of their 
dignities and the honors of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, 



512 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

his peculiar mission as an evangelist, or preacher of the gospel, 
expires. The church in a given locality is formed. He hands to it its 
charter, the books of the gospel, and only adds, observe all the insti- 
tutions, commandments, precepts or ordinances instituted in this 
book of the new and everlasting Constitution. He sets in order the 
house of God. * * * They select, by their suffrage, pastors, or 
bishops, as public functioaries, and their own deacons, or ministers of 
finance and of mercy. These elders or seniors in the faith are or- 
dained to teach, instruct and preside over all its affairs, domestic and 
foreign. The church is then and there organized. The new constitu- 
tion is then handed to them, as their supreme law, and every one for 
himself devotes his mind and his heart to its study and its practice. 

* * * Every church resembled a parish school, with its pupils, 
teachers, books and tables. Edification, or building up Christians in 
their most holy faith and hope is the appropriate business of the 
church. This is the special work and duty of its pastors and teachers. 
The apostles ordained that pastors and teachers should devote them- 
selves to this work as their special calling and ordination ; while Tim- 
othy and Titus were employed by them in distinct provinces of the 
church, in setting things in order. * * * To Timothy he says : 
'Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to teaching.' * 

* * In argument, or debate, it might be sometimes necessary to de- 
clare gospel in a church, as Paul did to the church at Corinth. But 
how marked his style in that case, compared with his usual addresses 
to unconverted assemblies. Indeed, he does not call it preaching. 
His words are : ' Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel 
which I preached unto you.' [He just reminded them of what he 
formerly preached to them.] * * * This is an illustration of the 
proper acceptation of the apostolic use of these terms. It is a solid 
and important distinction, which commends itself to every person of 
discernment. * * * The preacher simply aims at the conversion 
of his hearers, while the teacher intends the development of a pas- 
sage, a doctrine, a theory ; or, in indicating the truth he has to ex- 
pound, enrich and commend it to the understanding and acceptance 
of his pupils. The preacher reclaims the heart ; the teacher cultivates 
the understanding and enlarges the conception of his pupils. The 
preacher aims to produce faith in his auditory ; the teacher, at im- 
parting knowledge to his disciples ; the exhorter excites his auditory 
to action. * * * 

But how are all these things to be done in decency and in order ? 

* * * This i s an important inquiry. * * * In the first place, 
then, it is quite a different work from preaching the word to the world 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 513 

to convert the world. For that work a preacher or an evangelist is 
commissioned. For this, an accomplished episcopacy, or eldership 
must be instituted, according to the apostolic direction, and with the 
prescribed qualifications. The church members must punctually 
attend. They must not neglect the assembling of themselves to- 
gether on the first day of the week. They should carry with them, 
or have in their pews, the Holy Bible, and attend to all the readings, 
teachings and exhortations of the eldership, book in hand. * * * 
The lesson for the day should be known before, and studied through 
the week, * * * A philosophic poet once said : 

1 We want but little here below ; 
Nor want that little long.' 

With equal truth may one say, We do but little here below, and 
do that little wrong ! * * * Every man in every rank of life, must 
be a pupil before he is, or can be a scholar. It is emphatically so in 
Christ's school. 

So far from these churches or communities, that weekly hang in 
breathless rapture upon the eloquent lips of highly gifted and ac- 
complished essayists, lecturers, orators, sermonizers excelling others 
in Christian knowledge, faith, purity, or humility, we can rarely find 
one among them that will advantageously compare in these respects, 
with the Shepherd of Salisbury Plains, whose daily bill of fare was 
his Bible, his hymn book, aud his house of prayer. * * We have 
said — 1st. That the church cannot be vigorous, healthful and influen- 
tial for good, by any itinerant ministry ! Such is that of tbe Method- 
ists, the Baptists, and some of the Christian churches. Some of our 
brethren have fallen into this custom. And we now have even in 
Kentucky, one evangelist for four churches, who pay him for his ser- 
vises according to four independent contracts— the four odd Lord's 
days in the year being reserved for his own special benefit ! * * * 
Apostate Christendom— alias Sectarian Christendom— after the dicta 
of the Greek and Roman schools, has long been doling out its 
minute portions of a metaphysical theology, which, like crystals of 
ice— not so pure indeed, but quite as chilling— have frozen the genial 
current of life divine, and filled the world with a death-like chill, oc- 
casionally succeeded with a burning zeal for something called ortho- 
doxy. * * We, then, teach Christ to edify and perfect the church. 
For the perfection of the church, the doctrine of Christ is perfected 
and developed. The Lord's day, the Lord's supper celebrated ; the 
Holy Scriptures read and discoursed upon, accompanied with social 
prayer and praise. Exhortations, reproofs, admonitions, as occasion 
demands, are tendered, and an eldership, and a diaconate, are, for 
33 



514 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

these very purposes ordained. * * But this result one cannot ex- 
pect from a monthly visit of an evangelist, who, for the time being, 
converts your church into a missionary field, addresses a promiscuous 
assembly, convened to hear a textuary speech. * * If Methusalah 
were to live again his nine hundred and sixty and nine years, and to 
spend them all in one community, under the textuary system of the 
best protestant sanctuary among us, listening to him as our auditors 
do in protestant churches, could he say, I understand the volume ? 
* * No science, nor art, is taught in schools of science or in schools 
of art, useful or ornamental, as the Christian Scriptures or the Christ- 
ian doctrine — the Christian faith, piety and morality, are taught in 
the pulpits and in the sermons of modern Christendom. * * Ever 
learning, but never able to arrive at a knowledge of the Christian 
text book, seems to be the doom and destiny of every community 
that lives and dies under the texruary theologies of the nineteenth 
century." 

The same writer, in " Christianity Restored," and in 
" The Christian System," pp. 284-6, (referred to in an- 
other part of this work,) when seeking to direct the 
course for the apostolic teaching, hy the Bishops, on the 
Lord's day, instead of the now prevailing text and sermon 
style, gives, as a lesson previously announced, the geneal- 
ogy of Christ ; Mat. i : 1-17 ; Luke iii : 23-38. And he 
gives twenty-eight questions, to he asked and answered 
from personal examination, in order to the development 
of the subject. He says, also, that it is " wholly absurd " 
to expect to teach, or for the disciples to hope to learn 
the Bible, or their Christian duties, by the popular ser- 
monizing style; that a church which will spend two 
hours each Lord's day studying the Bible in this social 
Bible class way, (which was evidently the Tabernacle 
and Synagogue manner,) will learn more in one year 
than they can ever learn from what he calls textuary ser- 
monizing ; and that all who understand properly, and 
intend to teach, have or must abandon sermonizing, and 
adopt this natural style. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 515 

Medical and Law college professors lecture their classes ; 
but, while their lectures are strictly didactic — not ora- 
torical displays — if this were all, they would never 
make a lawyer or a doctor. They require their classes 
to take full notes, go to their rooms, and carefully study 
their text books on the matters presented. They call it 
" reading up on the subject ; " for it is presumed that 
they have read these text books before. Then, at the 
subsequent lecture, perhaps half the time is spent in 
questions and answers. They call this, " The quiz ; " 
and the young men often have a wholsome dread of this 
trial of their scholarship in the matters to be learned. 
All educators know very well that they cannot make 
scholars by simply lecturiny on the sciences to be 
learned. Their pupils must go to the blackboard, and 
work the problems personally. They must personally 
parse, translate, etc. In no educational system ever 
practised by men, the church alone excepted, has there 
been, or can there be, an exemption from personal ex- 
amination, or search and study. The single fact that 
this is not the style of teachers and educators in the 
school of Christ is a full explanation of their failure to 
teach the Bible. The popular sermonizing style is 
utterly unknown in the Bible and without authority 
in reason or in fact. It is not properly didactic, and is, 
therefore, inferior to the lecture style, which, in its best 
form, can never supercede personal study and search. If, 
then, we would have Bible knowledge, let us adopt the 
Bible style for teaching and learning it. A fair trial 
will convince any one. 

This manner of procedure has been fully tested in 
Australia ; and the gospel is prevailing there as no 
where else, we are told ; the congregations are in peace 
generally, and walking in the fear of God, and edified. 



516 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

One or two preachers, fond of " the pastor" order, have 
shown an unwillingness to attribute their success to 
this Scriptural procedure. But even they admit the 
facts : First, that they do follow this course ; Second, 
that their success is very great. Eor can they account 
for this unusual success without referring it largely to 
this cause. The faithful experiments made here and 
elsewhere, in very many cases, bear the same testimony 
and should forever cut off the claim that the churches 
cannot get along without a preacher. 

Let it be fully understood and agreed, then, 
I. That the common and popular manner of preach- 
ing to and teaching the churches is utterly absurd and 
inefficient — at once unphilosophical and unscriptural, 
and can never make the disciples acquainted with the 
Bible, or the duties it enjoins upon us. 

IL That the church is the school of Christ, and that 
the members are all scholars, or learners. 

III. That the Bible is the one authoritative text book, 
to be personally studied by every one. 

IV. That this book should be in the hands of every 
disciple when at school. The thought of forgetting or 
failing to have the one text book when we go to school 
is too absurd to be tolerated. 

V. That the Scriptural plurality of Bishops, or col- 
lege of Presbyters, are the teachers in this school ; the 
deacons are servanst and helpers; and the evangelists or 
preachers are field workers — not congregational officers ; 
and that their proper mission "expires" and is not in a 
congregation when it has scripturally qualified Bishops. 

VI. That the Teachers must study — learn, and qualify 
themselves for their great work in teaching and train- 
ing the lambs and the sheep under their care as under* 
shepherds of tho flock. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 517 

VII. That in seeking to do this, they shall not at- 
tempt to sermonize, or copy the example of the preach- 
ers — one of the saddest and most common mistakes ; but 
have a good and profitable lesson for the disciples each 
Lord's day, a lesson well-studied and well-learned. An 
excellent writer on Rhetoric says that, " he who under- 
stands a subject well, is not likely to speak ill upon it " 

VIII. That this lesson should be announced the pre- 
vious Lord's day, and should be carefully studied during 
the week by every disciple. They then attend rather 
to recite than to study the lesson, as in other schools. 

IX. That when, in the assembly, the time arrives for 
" the apostolic teaching," the leader for the day shall 
call for the reading of such passages as will bring the les- 
son fairly before the class. Perhaps half a dozen or a doz- 
en will arise, one at a time, and read passages bearing 
on the lesson — each passage, as it is read, being exam-, 
ined as a witness in a great case on trial : not questioned 
and tortured as by a sharp partisan lawyer, but candidly 
as by an honest, and truth, and justice loving judge; to 
bring out just what the witness has to say on the sub- 
ject — to get all he knows, and no more. To do this, all 
the surroundings are carefully considered. This is tak- 
ing the testimony, preparatory to the decision in the 
case. 

X. When no one has anything further, from the in- 
vestigations of the week, and when the testimony is not 
exhausted or the case clear, the purpose being to get all 
the testimony, so far as this may be practical, in order 
that the cleeision may be correct; it should be presumed 
that the leader can present the remainder. 

XL He, therefore, from a slip of paper, or blank book 
perhaps, calls on brother A. to read a certain passage, 
giving chapter and verse ; brother B. to read another ; 



518 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY 

brother or sister C. to read another ; and so on till lie 
has eight or ten, if he has so many witnesses. By this 
time, brother A. has fonnd his, and is ready to arise and 
read. This is closely considered, like the former testi- 
monies. Then brother B. reads, then sister C, etc., each 
passage being carefully examined as to its real bearing 
on the case. If there are other refereDces, and time is 
not exhausted, the leader gives oat other references to 
other disciples — designing to have as many as possible 
to read. These references are read and examined in the 
same way, etc., till the time is out. If the case is not 
clear, and the testimony not all in, the subject is con- 
tinued, and studied another week, etc. Sometimes sev- 
eral days are occupied on one lesson. 

XII. Finally, the evidence being well before the class, 
the leader calls on one capable of doing it, to sum up 
the testimony, or he may do this himself. And if all 
this is reasonably well done, there will seldom be a hung 
jury. Rather, as a rule, the verdict in each mind, is a 
" foregone conclusion." Possibly some have not care- 
fully considered all the testimonies ; and possibly some 
were prejudiced, or otherwise disqualified to try the case, 
and hence may decide wrongly. But this has seldom 
been the case, where lessons were properly studied. At 
any rate, there must be no strife. Possibly, there may 
be, after all, some ground for difference of opinion. 

XIII. The other items of worship having been at- 
tended to, the session may close by a brief exhortation 
from the leader, or one called on by him, an invitation 
and songs ; the announcement of the lesson for the fol- 
lowing week, preaching at night perhaps, or other ap- 
pointments, and the benediction. 

Can it be possible that a single one who has taken 
part in this investigation has learned nothing? You 



LIVE REL1GI0 US ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 519 

say, never, never! All have learned something, if some 
have not fully mastered the lesson. In our scientific 
studies we have to go back, review and study over 
again, even whole books, often several times. But if 
this manner of procedure will not enable one to learn, 
the case is hopeless. But every disciple will learn 
largely. 

Let this course be pursued for fifty-two Lord's days, 
including the study of fifty-two subjects, or Bible lessons 
pertaining to duty, and then see how much has been 
learned. Take the sum fairly and candidly, including, 
not those who would not take part, but all who did. Even 
by listening alone, more is learned than from the 
preaching of the most popular clergyman or pastor in 
the land. Take the knowledge gained fairly, compare 
it with what you learned the previous year, or with what 
others who listened to the popular textnary sermonizing 
have learned, and you have the difference — the differ- 
ence between God's way and man's way. Will we not 
all see that, on one hand there is a failure, and on the 
other, a most encouraging success ? Does it not appear 
that the enemy has, by causing us to depart from the 
true way of teaching, gained an advantage ruinous to 
the church ? Have not preachers co-operated with the 
enemy in this by their fondness for speech-making, and 
their disinclination to go out, and " endure hardness as 
good soldiers of Jesus Christ," as Paul did and as he 
taught Timothy and others to do — and as he would, be- 
yond doubt, now teach all preachers, were he to write 
them a letter from Paradise ? Perhaps, if he has seen 
what some of us have seen, he would be even more se- 
vere on these "pastorate" hunting preachers than the 
old prophets were upon the Jewish " pastors." See 
Ezek. xxii : 25-30; xxxiv : 2, 3, 7-10. " Woe be to the 



520 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

shepherds [pastors] of Israel that do feed themselves ! 
Should not the shepherd feed the flock ?"*"*« But 
the shepherds feed themselves, and feed not the flock." 
Jer. x : 21 : " For the pastors are become brutish, and 
have not sought the Lord ; therefore they shall not pros- 
per, and all their flocks shall be scattered." Jer. xxii : 
22 : " The winds shall eat up all thy pastors." Jer. xxiii 
1, 2, 9, 13, 16, 17, 20 : " Woe unto the pastors that de- 
stroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture, saith the 
Lord." Who divide and scatter the sheep now ? Who 
" feed themselves " now ? "I have not sent these proph- 
ets, saith the Lord, yet they ran." They assumed the 
place of the Scriptural pastors and then feci themselves, 
and scattered the flock. Where is the antitype now? 
Verily, "if we had not the type, the facts are fearfully 
plain. 

There are those ever ready to say this cannot be done; 
that the elders or bishops cannot do the work. One 
preacher, an active candidate for a paying " pastorate," 
said they never did do the work, and never could, and 
that the churches must have hired preacher-pastors, 
after the modern order, or they would all perish. He 
was answered this way : If you are right, Paul was a 
failure as a teacher, and the New Testament having an 
error of such magnitude in this case, may have other 
errors, and hence is not to be relied on at all. It claims 
to be perfect in its teaching, and, if you are correct, its 
claim is not true. Your position denies the inspiration 
and truthfulness of its teaching ! ! ! He was then asked 
to deny, if he would, that the New Testament arrange- 
ment was for the home bishops to teach and rule the 
churches. He did net deny this. He was asked for his 
scriptural authority for his special preacher-pastor ; but 
lie did not respond. Another very able man said, it was 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE BAY. 521 

settled, as was the rising and going down of the sun, 
that every congregation would have its preacher. He 
was reminded that it seemed to be settled that one large 
class of people would have a pope ; that others would 
have human creeds, human names, etc., but the scriptu- 
ralness of these things was the unsettled matter ; and 
he was asked for the scripture for such a preacher in 
each church. He did not respond. This was at a large 
annual meeting. They were then told that evidence had 
been largely taken, and that the proof was abundant 
that far more churches had died with these special 
preachers than without them ; that more churches had 
succeeded without such regular preachers than with 
them ; and that if the preachers would aid and encour- 
age the Bishops as they should, they would succeed far 
better, and so vindicate the divine teaching. They were 
urged to make the practical count and test ; and they 
did not. 

They were reminded, also, that we have not more than 
two preachers where we have three congregations. It 
is probable that we have not more than one preacher to 
three churches. In Tennessee, the best informed breth- 
ren think we have not more than one preacher to four 
or five churches. Now, on this basis, if every church 
is to have a prercher, which of the churches will get 
preachers? The answer was, and must be, without hesi- 
tation, the richer ones ! What, then, must become of 
the poor ones? Some one said, poor miserable things, 
they are not worth saving ! Of course they must go to 
the dogs and wolves, on account of their poverty and 
the lack of preachers ! Still, this does not look much 
like " the poor have the gospel preached unto them." 
But what of the elders? Well, they feel slighted, set 
back, get cold, put their lights under a bushel, and die 



522 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY 

with their buried talents. And when all the preachers 
are called in to serve as pastors, and half the churches 
have died for lack of money and preachers, and the 
elders have starved out because they were put on the do 
nothing list, then who will go out into the mission field, 
home or foreign ? The money is generally exhausted, 
in paying the unscriptural " pastors ; " and if this were 
not so, there are no preachers to send ! Such would be 
the inevitable results of that system ! No elaboration 
should be needed. " Choose ye whom ye will serve! " 
or whose plan you will follow. God's way is very plain. 
On it the gospel was once " preached to every creature 
under heaven in thirty years." When it is rightly fol- 
lowed this work will soon be done again. Not before. 

This reminds us of other unwise and unjust uses of 
money for the special accommodation of the preachers, 
thus : 

Take an average country town in any average state 
of the Union, and we find generally at least six church- 
houses. These houses cost, probably, f 2,000 each — $12,- 
000. Each one must have a special preacher, whose sal- 
must be, say $1,000, and this must be printed in 
LARGE CAPITALS, if we give it practical emphasis. 
For when the money fails, the preacher fails also. 
Here we have annually $6,000 more of the Lord's mon- 
ey used to carry out the ways of men, instead of follow- 
ing God's way at very small cost ! Such are the facts. 
If any other system were so prodigal and selfish in the 
use of money, coming largely from the poor, and needed 
by the poor, the orphans and widows, and for mission- 
ary work, it would be indignantly spurned and cast out ! 
Let us see. It is manifest that these towns cannot need 
more than one church house for each. One house, of 
reasonable proportions, will seat all who will attend. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 523 

!N"or can they possibly need more than one preacher. In 
fact, they can only need him occasionally, to aid in con- 
verting sinners ; for the scriptural bishops will teach 
and train the churches far more effectually, on the right 
plan, than the best of the preachers ever have or ever 
can, on their plan. Five out of the six houses in each 
town may, therefore, be sold, and the money may be 
used to erect houses where they are needed. And five, 
at least of the six preachers may be sent out to destitute 
places — to establish congregations in the newly erected 
houses, and at other places ! The same money now paid 
them where they are not needed, except for selfish or 
sectarian purposes, will sustain them where, if they are 
capable of usefulness, they can do great good. This 
would be doing missionary work ! Each average coun- 
try town would, therefore, send out and sustain,five mis- 
sionaries, and build five new houses where they are 
needed the first year, and the people be taxed not a cent 
more than they are paying now ! And if there are four 
such towns, in each county, 100 counties 
in each state, and forty states, we have 16,000 new 
church houses, and 16,000 missionaries in the field, the 
first year, and the peopje paying no more than they are 
now paying for meeting houses and preaching ! This, 
if not precisely accurate, which is not claimed, still 
shows the vast waste of money to keep up sects and 
parties and strifes ! 

And the sixth church house and congregation in each 
town, following the divine plan, will learn more of the 
Bible the first year than any one of them has learned in 
ten years past, or ever will learn from the textuary ser- 
monizing of their preacher-pastors ! How long, in this 
way, would it take to drive out the darkness of sin, and 
replace it with the true light of the gospel ? How long- 



524 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

till all the sincere followers of Jesus Christ would he 
united, and of " one heart and one soul," as the first 
Christians were, and as Jesus prayed that they all might 
he ? ! How long till the rum demon would he banished 
from all this fair land ? ! How long till the " knowledge 
of God would cover the earth as the waters the great 
deep, and the will of God be done on earth as it is done 
in heaven ? ! " On the present popular plan, these grand 
results can never be i^eached. Oh ! how long till we 
learn to " choose the good and refuse the evil ? " . No 
wonder Jesus wept over the folly of man, saying, " ! 
that they had been wise, at least in this the clay of their 
visitation," " for then their peace should have been as 
a river and their righteousness as the waves of the sea ! " 
Luke xix : 41, 42 ; Matt, xxiii : 37 ; Deut. v: 29; xxxii : 
29, 30. 

TAKE ANOTHER CASE OF EXTRAVAGANCE, PRIDE AND VANITY. 

Church houses are made to cost vast sums now, like 
the ideal temples of India, Persia, Italy, Asia etc. They 
cost from one thousand dollars to twenty-five millions, 
and some more still ! We need not pause to count and 
even approximately determine how much money is 
wasted here. The sum is immense ! The writer knows 
a house which cost $19,000 besides the lot. That house 
will not comfortably seat more than 500 people. A 
house can be built, in almost any average city, to seat 
500 people just as comfortably, with a baptistry and two 
rooms for Lord's day school classes, etc., at a cost of 
from three to four thousand dollars. Two have been 
recently built in Nashville, Tenn., capable of seating 
500 to 600 very comfortably, and furnished with baptis- 
tries, dressing rooms, and every needed convenience, at 
a cost of about $3,500. (This does not include the 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 525 

ground.) All three of these houses the writer has been 
in, and he speaks by the records. Then, in the first one 
named, with no more comfort, or capacity, there was a 
sacrifice of §15,000 — to what? Surely not to Him who 
was cradled in a manger, and never had a place to lay 
His head. You say this sacrifice was made to pride and 
vanity ! to the " lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye 
and the pride of life, which are not of the Father but 
of the world." 1 John ii : 16. " They that are Christ's 
have crucified the flesh with the lusts thereof." Gal. v : 
21 : Titus ii : 12 ; Jas. i : 14 ; 1 Peter ii : 11 — " Abstain 
from fleshly lusts which war against the soul." " The 
flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the 
flesh," etc. Gal. v . 17. Lust for rum wars against the 
spirit of strong men, and captures them. Saloons help 
the enemy as against all that is godly, or even manly. 
And just so, all these fine and expensive church houses, 
like all excessively " costly array," help the enemy as 
against the divinity within us, and to the ruin of hu- 
manity, and the banishment of true, pure Christian love. 
To-day, there is money enough in unnecessarily costly 
church houses and pastors, the constant tendency of 
which is to pride, worldliness and sin, to do everything 
for the church, for the gospel, and for the poor that 
money could do ! Shall not all unfaithful stewards be 
put out of their stewardship ? 
Carefully read the following : ' 

" THEO. PARKER IN THE NEW MUSIC HALL, BOSTON. 

Do you call this a church? Well, I heard a prima 
donna here, a few nights ago, and bright eyes sparkled, 
and waving ringlets kept time to moving fans, and ope- 
ra glasses, and ogling, and fashion and folly, reigned for 
then once triumphant. I can't forget it ; I can't get up 



526 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

my devotion here, and under these latticed balconies, 
with their fashionable freight. If it were a good old 
church, with a cracked bell and unhewn rafters, a pine 
pulpit, with the honest sun starting in through the win- 
dows, a pitch pine in the gallery, and a few hob-nailed 
rustics scattered round in the uncushioned seats, I could 
feel all right ; but my soul is in fetters here — it won't 
soar — its wings are earth-clipped. Things are all too 
fine. Nobody can come in at the door, whose hat and 
coat and bonnet are not fashionably cut. The poor man 
(minus a Sunday suit,) might lean on his staff on the 
porch a long while before he'd dare venture in, to pick 
up his crumb of the bread of life. But, thank God, the 
unspoken prayer of penitence may wing its way to the 
Eternal Throne, though our mocking church spires 
point only with aristocratic fingers to the rich man's 
heaven." — Fanny Fern in M. Harbinger for 1853, p. 528. 

A plea is put up for these fine houses, fine furniture, 
fine and eloquent pastors, fine organs, etc., to this effect, 
" Oh, they will draw the people to hear. You cannot 
convert them till you get them to hear." This is a ter- 
rible error, thinly covered by a half truth. Jesus said, 
" If I be lifted up I will draw all men to me." Jesus 
lifted up is God's drawing power. Fine and costly 
churches, eloquent men, fine organs, etc., are man's 
drawing power. But at the beginning the people did 
hear poor fishermen by the ten thousand without any of 
these worldly devices. They were drawn by the Christ 
lifted up. So it has been in all the ages, and so it is to- 
day. People are drawn more to places of true worship 
than to these extra fine houses. God's drawing power 
is better than man's drawing power. Very many facts 
prove this. And more ; when they are drawn by Christ 
on the cross and on the mercy seat, and hear the pure 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 527 

gospel, they will be converted to the love and service of 
Christ — not to sect, not to a human form without the 
power to save. The writer feels entirely confident all 
along this line, though he cannot here give fully all the 
facts. Take this case, as a fact, published in the San 
Francisco Examiner in 1889, I believe. The Examiner's 
army of reporters met in one of the consulting rooms to 
determine their course, and this question was raised : 
Why do only about one-tenth of the people attend 
church on the Lord's day ? All, save one, said it was 
because the churches were built for the " upper-tens," 
the rich, and that the poor did not feel at home there, 
and even often not treated well when they did go ; that, 
nine-tenths of the people belonged to the working class, 
felt cramped amid such splendor, and were compelled to 
regard much of what was there as hypocritical forms, 
without heart piety or humility, and so were repelled. 
The one man, himself a church member, contended that 
the churches were for the poor, that they were always 
welcome, etc. And so sharp was the contention that 
this church member determined to test the case. He 
therefore went to a second-hand clothing store, and got 
a suit which indicated that the wearer had been in bet- 
ter condition, and fallen. In this suit he visited the 
leading fine churches in San Francisco. Only one re- 
ceived him readily, one more treated him with only cold 
indifference, and the rest refused 'him with more or less 
rudeness, some even telling him that the house was full 
when he could see it was not by far. He was converted 
and wrote a report of each case, giving names and par- 
ticulars. This stirred up the leaders and they made an 
effort to put the blame on the ushers. The pastors were 
then visited in their studies and closely questioned. 
Some of them did try to blame the ushers, but the re- 



528 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

porter said it was a plain case. The ushers still held 
their places, and it was evident that they had only car- 
ried out the will of the pastors and leaders. These facts 
can be had in full by applying to the San Francisco 
Examiner. Much the same is no doubt true of other 
cities. ISTo, neither the organ, fine preacher, nor costly 
house, nor all put together, draw people who desire to 
worship God in spirit and in truth. Another class may 
be drawn, as they are drawn to the opera, the concert 
and the ball room. Those who truly worship God are 
drawn and controlled by the law of God and the power 
of Christ, which is in the gospel, and not in brick nor 
stone, nor in pride, nor vain show. There is a drawing 
power deposited in matter, in the gospel, and in all the 
divine ordinances ; but there is none for the true heart 
in fine church houses, etc. 

At the suggestion of these things, the " lovers of 
pleasure more than the lovers of God," may poh and 
laugh, and snarl, make light, and turn away, and so seek 
to turn others away. But not one of them can deny 
these facts. They remain and are as manifest as the ev- 
erlasting hills. Will they not condemn many in the 
last day, as Sodom and Gomorrah " will rise up in the 
judgment and condemn the men" who rejected Christ? 

The reason so much money was put into the Taber- 
nacle and priestly garments, etc., is explained in this 
work. See the chapter on the Tabernacle, etc. 
Most certainly it was not intended to justify the modern 
sacrifice to pride and worldliness. The excuse, and the 
plea that one must be decent, cover all the ground. Be- 
ing both decent and comfortable does not require, and 
can never justify, pride and extravagance, to the dis- 
gusting of the poor, the hindering of the gospel, the 



LIVE REL1GI0 US ISSUES OF THE DA Y. 529 

robbing of orphans and widows, and the strengthening 
of the flesh. 

" I know the blasphemy of them which say they are 
Jews," (or Christians,) " and are not, but are the syna- 
gogue of Satan." " Behold, I will make them of the 
synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews," (or Christ- 
ians,) " and are not, but do lie," etc. Rev. ii : 9 ; iii : 9, 
17, 18. " Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased 
with goods, and have need of nothing ; and knowest not 
that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and 
blind, and naked : I counsel thee to buy of me gold 
tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich," etc. 

Jesus, by the spirit, through John, applied this lan- 
guage to people much resembling, and perhaps no worse 
than many now. Jesus has not changed. He is now 
what he was then. Did not Jesus say to the Jews : 

" It is written, (Isa. lvi : 7.) my house shall be called 
the house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of 
thieves ? " Jer. vii : 11 ; Mark xi . 17 ; Luke xix : 46. 

While we may not authoritatively apply these sayings 
to any people, at any special time or place, they certainly 
show that many people were, and hence may be now, 
wonderfully deceived ; observing costly forms and cere- 
monies, and really thinking and feeling that they are 
very religious. They think they are " rich, and have 
need of nothing, and do not know that they are poor, 
miserable, blind and naked!" From the closest investi- 
gation, it would be difficult for any one to tell wherein 
the people, here so severely denounced, were any worse 
than are a large number of those now worshiping in fine 
and costly temples. The Lord, in his great mercy, may 
find an apology for them : Ave cannot. We have, or may 
have, the clear light of truth, and the only safety for us 
is, to walk strictly and faithfully in it. 
34 



530 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

Certainly neither Jesus nor his early followers had 
any of these costly and worldly things. They were al- 
most as far the other way as they could be. Modern 
Christianity has got almost as far from the life of Jesus 
and his apostles as men can get. Many even outstrip 
the world, and lead the pride and folly of the day ! If 
these are right and safe, were not the Savior and his apos- 
tles wrong? We know that Jesus might have had all 
the luxuries of the world. He was Lord of all things. 
Did he set a bad example? Had he appeared in the 
pomp and style of his day, he might have been received 
perhaps and not crucified. But he was right, and mod- 
ern Christianity is wrong. Let us walk in his footsteps, 
and suffer with him, if need be. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

Sample Lessons for Lord's Day Worship — Prayer — the twenty items 
in prayer; five of them investigated, and the others named ; wor- 
ship — definition — true worship, false or vain worship, mixed wor- 
ship, the importance of worship, and the effects of worship ; vari- 
ous lessons given for study and consideration ; manner of proced- 
ure ; aid to the leaders, etc. 

Firmly believing that the common and popular 
preaching to the churches at the Lord's table, or else- 
where is not the ancient course, I should be inconsistent 
if I did not do all I can in favor of the better way. I 
have tried the ancient way for a long series of years, 
and all who have taken part in the lessons, without ex- 
ception, so far as I have heard, say they learn far more 
than from preaching, or even the lecture style. Some 
will take no part — those who do not study the Bible at 
home. They sometimes prefer to be preached to. It is 
so easy and nice! They are not afraid of exposing 
their ignorance of the Bible, or showing their failures 
in Christian duties. They feel safe while they simply 
listen. The elders favor the apostolic course when 
others lead in it, but they generally say they cannot 
manage the meetings that way. Hence they study up a 
little speech, and try to copy the preachers. Of course 
they fail to interest the members, and all are discour- 
aged. Now, let us make a further effort to aid the 
leaders, by giving an outline of what has been often 
done. Let us take as a lesson for next Lord's day, 

THE SUBJECT OF PRAYER. 

In protracted meetings we have often spent three 

(531) 



532 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

days on this lesson, and at the following annual meeting 
the leading disciples have sometimes urged going over 
the same lesson. We began at nine or ten and contin- 
ued till eleven ; then at 2 p. m., and continued till three, 
the lesson being announced at least the day before, and 
all encouraged to study up the testimonies bearing upon 
it, and have their Bibles ready. The subject is very 
naturally divided into twenty parts. After singing and 
prayer, the leader asks — 

I. What is prayer f — and calls for the Scriptures that 
answer this question. 

Some one arises and reads Rom. x : 1. 

Leader, This proves that desire is one thing and 
prayer is another. 

Another reads Phil, iv : 6 : " Let your requests be 
made known to God." 

The leader says : God certainly knows our hearts, but 
he makes it our duty to express our desires before him 
just as if he did not know them. 

A third reads Matt, vii: 7: "Ask and ye shall re- 
ceive." Another reads Luke xi : 9. A fifth reads 
Mark vi : 22 : "Ask what ye will," etc. And others are 
ready with John xiv : 13; xv: 16; James i: 5, and 
other passages of this class. Finally a brother reads 
James iv : 2 : " Ye have not because ye ask not." 

Without waiting to get all the testimony, the leader 
explains that asking is expressing a desire, which is 
prayer ; and he refers to all the prayers in the Bible as 
asking what was desired. From the first, prayer has 
been the expression of desire — never desire unexpressed. 
We are grateful, and express this in thanks. We are 
happy, and express this in praise. God loved us, and 
manifested that love by sending Jesus. One refers to 
the case of Hannah, and reads: "her voice was not 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 533 

heard," but " her lips moved," and " Eli marked her 
mouth;" and when the child was weaned she carried 
him to Eli, and told him, " for this child I prayed." 1 
Sam. i: 12, 13, 27. She said: " The Lord hath given 
me my petition which I asked of him." 

Leader. Bro. A, what does Samuel mean ? 

A. It means " asked of God." 

L. Very well. Hannah's voice was not heard, hut 
she used words to express her desire, and called the 
child, "asked of God." Prayer, then, is the expression 
of desire, as in asking a favor. Obedience to the gos- 
pel is the expression of faith, love, etc. 

II. To whom should prayer be made f 
Bro. A says, why, to God. 

L. Very well. But some people pray to Mary and 
other saints, and some to idols. Some in our county 
pray to the Holy Spirit. 

Bro. C asks, Is that not right ? 

L. Well, who can find any precept or example for it? 

Bro. D. says he knows none. 

L. Very well, then we will not do so, unless some one 
can find the authority. But may we not pray to the 
Son of God ? 

Bro. E reads Acts vii : 59 : " Lord Jesus receive my 
spirit." 

L. Yes, and one manuscript of such authority has, in 
Acts ix: 11, "to me," added, "Behold he prayeth — to 
me" — Jesus. We may, therefore, pray to the Father 
and the Son. No more. 

III. Who may pray with assurance of being heard ? 
Sister Mary says, Any one may pray. 

L. Yes, but who has assurance of being heard ? 
Bro. John says, The preachers always tell sinners to 
pray the first thing. 



534 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

L. Yes; but did the apostles do so? You cannot 
find that they ever did. Citizens in our government 
have the right of petition. Children in our families 
have the right of petition, and the assurance of being 
heard. 'Not so of aliens. Possibly they may be heard. 
Paul and Cornelius were heard before they were citi- 
zens in Christ's kingdom; but this was not the rule. 
Some people God will not hear. The blind man said : 
" We know that God heareth not sinners." John ix : 
31. His declaration has the force of "we all know that 
God heareth not sinners ; " and the Pharisees did not 
deny this. A sinner, then has no assurance of being 
heard. 

Yes, says Uncle Peter, " If I regard iniquity in my 
heart, the Lord will not hear me." Ps. lxvi : 18 ; and 
so Ezek. viii : 18 ; Prov. i : 28 ; Isa. i : 15 ; Jer. xi : 11 ; 
xiv : 12 ; Micah iii : 4 ; Zech. vii : 13 ; Ps. xv and xxiv. 
" Clean hands and pure hearts " seem necessary. 

L. Yes. "The effectual and fervent prayer of a 
righteous man availeth much." Jas. v : 16. So Matt. 
v : 23, 24, etc., and many other testimonies, which may 
be read. 

The conclusion, then, must be that, while others may 
pray, only faithful and pure children of God have as- 
surance of being heard. 

IV. The medium of approach to God. 

L. Who can read us a lesson on this branch of the 
subject? 

Bro. Zac reads John xvi : 26 : " At that day ye shall 
ask in my name." Also verse 23 ; xv ; 16; xiv: 13, 14. 

And Bro. S reads John xiv : 6 : " No man cometh to 
the Father but by me." 

L. Yes ; Jesus is the way, medium of approach, and 
there is no other. We are restricted to this. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 535 

Sister Phoebe reads Col. iii : 17: "And whatsoever ye 
do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord 
Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him," 
or through him. 

L. Yes; and there are many passages of this same 
kind. Formerly nothing was done in his name ; now 
all is done in it. 

Bro. F asks, Can we not pray " for the sake of 
Jesus ? " and adds : I often hear people pray this way, 
or " for Christ's sake." 

L. "Well, we have this phrase, but not in connection 
with prayer. We are forgiven " for Christ's sake." 
Eph. iv : 32. But we pray only in his name ; i. e., by 
his authority. 

Bro. D says, I heard a man pray without the name of 
Jesus in any way, as the Jews do. 

L. Yes, but he did not get near to God; for Bro. S 
read: " No man cometh to the Father but by me." We 
may ask, then, Who has the name of Jesus? Bro. 
James says : 1 John ii : 1, says to all Christians then 
living, "we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus 
Christ the righteous." But the sinner has no advocate. 
He has never confessed the name of Jesus. That 
"worthy name," has never been "named upon him." 
Jas. ii: 7. 

L. We must have the name of Jesus then, and approach 
God in his name. Many earthly kings are only ap- 
proached through a mediator. We cannot go to God 
in our own name, or in the name of any man living — 
not even in the name of Moses, though he was media- 
tor between God and the Jews. 

V. L. For what may ive pray ? 

Who has a teaching on this subject ? 

Bro. C arises and reads 1 John v : " And this is the 



536 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

confidence that we have, that, if we ask anything accord- 
ing to his will he heareth us." 

L. Very well. But how do we know his will ? 

Sister Jane says, He has told us in his word. 

L. Yes; and we must search his word, as we are now 
doing, to learn his will. Bro. Peter, suppose you should 
desire a certain thing, and cannot find that it is God's 
will for you to have it — what then ? 

P. Well I suppose I should not pray for it, or if I do, 
I should add: "If it seem good in thy sight;" for we 
should always be ready, if we do not say, " not my will, 
but thine be done." 

L. Well, suppose one pray that God will forgive and 
save one of our special friends without faith or the obe- 
dience of faith ? 

Mother S says, Well, he would not hear us, for that is 
not according to his will. 

L. No, nor would it be, if we pray for God to send 
down a special and irresistible power to convert him ; 
or if we should pray for a baptism of the Holy Ghost 
and fire ; or for manna from heaven, as in the wilder- 
ness. 

Bro. James asks, What are we to do, then, when we do 
not know whether we should pray for a given thing or 
not? 

Bro. Reuben reads Rom. viii : 26 : " For we know not 
what we should pray for as we ought." 

L. Very Well. You are then in company with Paul 
and the disciples at Rome. 

Bro. D reads, " And he went a little further, and fell 
on his face, and prayed, saying, my Father, if it be 
possible, let this cup pass from me : nevertheless, not as 
I will, but as thou wilt." 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 537 

L. See also, Matt, xxvi : 39; John v: 30; vi : 38; 
Phil, ii : 38, etc. 

Sister Amanda reads Acts xxi : 14 : " And when he 
would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, the will of 
the Lord be done." 

L. Yes ; the disciples did not will that Paul should go 
up to Jerusalem at that time, because Agabus had 
prophesied that the Jews would bind and imprison him ; 
but Paul understood it to be the will of God, and the 
disciples submitted. It is not wrong for us to have a 
will, or for us to express it before God. Jesus and these 
disciples expressed their wills ; but they readily subor- 
dinated their wills to God's will. They would not urge 
their wills. And if one was doubtful, he would say, "if 
it be possible," or "if it be good in thy sight." Let us 
do so, and we shall do the will of God. It is a great 
thing to conquer our own stubborn wills, and submit 
them lovingly to God's will. Can we all do this ? Let 
us profit by this lesson. Time expired, and with exhor- 
tation, invitation, song, announcements, and benedic- 
tion, they depart — to study other items in prayer. 

The following Lord's day, they proceed in the same 
way, so far as time permits, considering : 

VI. How God answers prayer. 

VII. The effects of prayer : 1, on the prayer ; 2, on 
the hearer; 3, on God. 

VIII. Public prayer. 

IX. Bodily attitude in and for prayer. 

X. Private or secret prayer. 
XL Family Prayer. 

XII. Length of prayers. 

XIII. Closing prayers. 

XIV. Church prayer-meetings. 

XV. The prayers of women in the assembly. 



538 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY, 

XVI. The sisters' prayer-meetings. 

XVII. Young disciples' prayer-meetings. 

XVIII. Special and specific prayers. 

XIX. Importunacy in prayer. 

XX. Prayer as connected with works, fasting, thanks- 
giving, and praise. 

Considering these fifteen items, in the same way, each 
lesson being announced and studied before, and all the 
disciples with their Bibles before them; reviewing 
the preceding lesson, answering questions and remain- 
ing difficulties, will require two or three Lord's days, 
generally. To refresh their memories, the leader may 
review the several items studied, and the conclusions 
reached, give a suitable exhortation, offer an invita- 
tion, announce the lesson for the following Lord's day — 
The worship of God — sing and dismiss. 

Note, — Most of these items have been incidentally re- 
ferred to, and some of them have been considered al- 
ready at some length, owing to their connection with 
the matters under investigation; but they deserve a 
careful and extended examination, and the writer hopes 
to present this in a volume of a hundred pages or more 
in the near future, if the Lord will. 

THE WORSHIP OF GOD. 

When the time for "the apostolic teaching" has ar- 
rived, the leader calls for the reading of passages bear- 
ing on the subject. 

Bro. Zac arises and reads Rev. xxii : 8, 9: "And 
when I had heard and seen I fell down to worship be- 
fore the feet of the angel which shewed me these 
things. Then he said unto me, see thou do it not : * 
* * worship God." 

Bro. John reads Ps. xcv: 6; sister Juda reads, Ps. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 539 

xcvii : 7; brother Mark reads Isa. xxvii : 13. So, by 
several, there are read various passages, as : Matt, iv : 9 ; 
Luke iv : 7 ; Matt, xv: 9 ; John iv : 20, 22 ; Acts xvii : 
23 ; xxiv : 14 ; 1 Cor. xiv : 25, etc. 

Leader. Very well. Now, who can give the meaning 
of the word worship f 

Bro. David reads Webster's definition at length. 

L. Yes ; but Webster gives the sense in which it is 
now generally used — not the original or etymological 
meaning of the word generally translated worship, or 
to worship. But you observe he says : " The act of pay- 
ing divine honor to the Supreme Being." " The wor- 
ship of God is an eminent part of religion, and prayer 
is a chief part of religious worship." Tillotson. " To 
venerate, to reverence with supreme respect and venera- 
tion ; to adore ; ' with bended knees I daily worshiped 
her ; ' to perform acts of adoration ; to adore, revere, 
bow to ; to perform acts of religious service." But Dr. 
Young, one of the most eminent and learned men and 
translators gives bow, bow down, as the meaning of pros- 
kuneoo, the word usually rendered worship. Sixty times 
Dr. Young translates it bow, bow down; as in Matt, ii: 
8, 11, etc. This is the meaning of the word. But it 
includes " religious service, acts showing submission, 
obedience and adoration." 

Bro. Silas asks, Does it not begin in the heart ? 

L. Yes ; of course. We cannot always bow down 
our bodies, but we can always humble our hearts, love, 
reverence and adore God with "pure hearts and clean 
hands." 

Will Bro. Thomas read Ps. xlii : 5, 6, 11 ; xliii : 5. 
He reads. 

L. You see that Saul was " cast down " — humbled. 



540 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

Please read Ps. xxxiv: 18; li: 17; Isa. lvii: 15; lxvi: 
2 ; Rev. xv : 26. Several read. 

L. Here you see, "A broken and contrite spirit thou 
wilt not despise." This is the opposite of the proud 
and haughty, from whom God receives no worship. 

Bro. Andrew says, I presume the reason David knelt 
three times a day, when his life was in danger, was, his 
heart was greatly humbled. 

L. Yes; and so of others. Read Ps. xv and xxiv. 
And if you would see the bodily manifestations of this 
state of heart, take your large concordance, and look 
for bow, bow down, bow with face towards the ground ; 
bow with face to the ground. To do this they had to 
kneel and then bend forward. Then see, fell prostrate, 
fell down, etc., and read all these references. You will 
then be better prepared to read Rom. xii: 1. Read this, 
sister Jane. She reads : 

" I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies 
of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, 
holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable 
service." 

L. So, too, we are taught, 1 Cor. vi : 20, to " glorify 
God in our body and in our spirit, which are God's." 
So, also, whatever we do, in word or deed, we must do 
all to the glory of God. These are worshiping acts. 
Worship, then, is bowing down to God — our hearts and 
bodies — and obeying him in all things. 

JSTow, who can tell 

WHAT IS TRUE SCRIPTURAL WORSHIP ? 

Sister Annie reads John iv : 23, 24 : 

" But the hour cometh and now is, when the true wor- 
shipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth : 
for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 541 

spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in 
spirit and in truth." 

L. Well ; but what is worshiping in spirit ? and what 
is worshiping in truth ? 

Elder Brice says, " In spirit " means in or with true, 
spiritual, hearty devotion; and "in truth," must mean 
according to truth, i. e., as God has directed. 

L. Very well. Sister Amanda, please read 2 Tim. 
ii : 5. She reads : 

"And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not 
crowned, except he strive lawfully." 

L. Yes ; lawfully, or according to law. The Greeks 
and Romans might enter their boxing arenas, box down 
all in the ring, and stand monuments of strength ; but 
if it appeared that they did not enter lawfully, or 
box lawfully, they were not crowned. If one out ran 
all the racers, and received the applause of the gazing 
multitudes, yet, if it was proved that he did not enter 
lawfully, or run lawfully, he could not be crowned. 
That is, we must worship as God has directed. 

Sister Fannie says, And that is the reason we are 
searching his word — just to learn how he wants us to 
worship. 

L. Yes ; that is it. You can find many other pasages 
of the same kind. But 

WHAT IS FALSE OR VAIN WORSHIP ? 

Bro. Timothy reads Matt, xv : 9 ; Mark vii : 7, 8. 

" This people honoreth me with their lips, but their 
heart is far from me. Howbeit, in vain they do worship 
me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 
For laying aside the commands of God, ye hold the tra- 
ditions of men." etc. 

L. Here we have two reasons why that was all vain 



542 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

worship: 1. It was lip service — not from the heart. 2. 
They laid aside God's commands, and were keeping 
those of men. Bro. Jacob please read James i : 26. He 
reads : 

" If any man among you seemeth to be religious, and 
bridleth not his own tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, 
this man's religion is vain." 

L. Yes ; it is a religion and it is a worship, but it is. 
in vain. Very many other passages might be read, of 
this same character. Let us see to it that we worship 
not in vain. And is there not a greatly 

MIXED WORSHIP? 

Sister Juda, will you read Dan. ii : 42 ? She reads : 

"And as the toes of the feet were part of iron and 
part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and 
partly weak." 

L. Yes ; that was part of the great image Daniel saw. 
There was a mixture of iron and clay in the feet, no gold 
at all, and not much strength. 

Elder Jonathan, And so we have a mixture of the 
commands of God and the commands of men ; the 
ordinances of God and those of men; of truth and 
error ; of good and'bad. 

L. And a mixture of uncongenial elements can never 
give strength. We must renounce the world, come out 
from it, and be not of it. Then may we have pure and 
acceptable worship. 

Well, what can you say of 

THE VALUE OF TRUE, PURE WORSHIP? 

Bro. James says, It is worth just as much as our 
souls ; since there is no salvation in sin. 

Sister Betty says, Yes ; and it is worth just as much 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 543 

as heaven ; for "without holiness no man shall see God." 
Heb. xii : 14. " Nothing impure can enter there," said 
Bro. Kobert. Several passages were referred to, but the 
time was short. 

L. There is another item in this beautiful lesson : 

THE EFFECT OF WORSHIP, 

"Which we cannot fully develop now. It assimilates 
us to God. It makes us like him, and so prepares us 
not only to enter heaven, but to enjoy it. Elder Brice, 
please sum up the lesson. 

Well— 

I. The meaning of the word worship. 

II. What is true worship. 

III. False or vain worship. 
IY. Mixed worship. 

V. The value of true worship. 

VI. The effect of worship upon us. 

L. Now, is not this of great interest and value ? Let 
us profit by it. All may enjoy it if they will. Then 
the announcements, the song, and the benediction. 

In the same way every subject and every duty may 
be studied and learned. Some, of course, will not learn 
so much ; some, indeed, as in our common schools and 
colleges, will never master the grand themes studied ; 
but all will learn some, and the many will make great 
growth in knowledge, and in favor with God and good 
men. Most certainly the knowledge gained in this way I 
,will be so far in excess of that gained from the now 
prevailing textuary and sermonizing style, that there 
can be no just comparison. If some do not learn, it 
will be because they do not attend and try, or because 
they lack capacity, and would not learn " though one 
rose from the dead." But the leaders must study, and 



544 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

prepare themselves to teach, and not content themselves 
with a poor dry speech in imitation of textuary sermon- 
izers. In this they are doomed to fail. In teaching 
they can succeed — if they study and try. Will they 
profit by this direct effort to aid and encourage them ? 

The same manner is applicable to the study of special 
chapters or passages. The leader can study each lesson, 
make references to parallel passages and circumstances, 
write his own notes and aids, and be prepared with a 
good lesson each Lord's day. All, indeed, should do 
this, but it should be presumed that the leader should 
lead in this good work also. The whole church could 
do well studying the regular lessons for the Lord's day 
school ; each studying the lesson at home during the 
week, with all the aids at command, but carrying to 
church only the Bible. Every church should, however, 
have a good church library ever ready for use on spe- 
cial points. If fathers and mothers will carry their 
families — " all that can hear with understanding " — sit 
together, and all take part, more or less, there will be 
better order and better progress. This would be the 
antitype of the tabernacle and synagogue worship of 
the Jews. It would supercede very much of the pres- 
ent formalities and expense in our church work; and 
would very far suspass- all human devices in efficiency. 

We are admonished: "Take heed how you interfere 
with the present order of church work ! It is all in- 
tended and calculated to do good." We might answer: 
Take heed how you interfere with the divine plan for 
church work, for the members, for the children, and for 
the wide, wide world. It is intended to do good, and 
does do far more good than any or all the devices of 
men can ever do. 

We need not be blind to the good done on other 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 545 

plans. We should be able to rejoice in good accom- 
plished on any plan, or by any kind of agencies or in- 
strumentalities, if we are snre that what is claimed as 
1 fruit really is good fruit. But loyalty to God's 
word requires us to earnestly contend for its way as, at 
least, the host way, the surest way, and the way that 
will result in the greatest and most lasting good. Our 
Lord's day schools are doing good. So are many socie- 
ties and agencies doing some good — perhaps at a fear- 
ful cost, and with evil at certain points and in certain 
ways. We can rejoice in the good accomplished, and 
wo should deplore the evil. God's plan, in all depart- 
ments, has none of the evils, and far more than all the 
good that can he claimed in all human plans. God's 
plan for the religions education and training of the 
Jews — parents and children — in the Sabbath readings, 
and teachings, etc., and in the families, is infinitely 
superior to the best devices of men. We need its anti- 
type in the church, just as the first Christians had it. 
Then every department and branch of church work, 
domestic and foreign, prospered as the truth has never 
prospered since. The most zealous and earnest workers 
are "feeling for" a better way; because they are not 
succeeding as the case demands. Yet, alas! few of them 
think of returning to God's way. Thus: " Their way is 
their folly." They sing sometimes — 

" There is no other way but his way ; " 

And, perhaps, without feeling the full force of this 
great truth. AVe have tried man's way long enough. 
It has not done the work, and never can. Is it not 
time we should fall back on the divine plan for every- 
thing, so far as it is revealed? And is not the duty im- 
perative to search for it daily ?— search as men search 
for hidden treasures! " This do and ye shall live ; " and 



546 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

" the work of the Lord will prosper in your hands." 
The dews of heaven, the rich odors of the garden of 
delight, and the smiles of God will rest upon you. His 
strong arm will be about you, and his pillow of cloud 
and of fire (or its antitype) will go before you, and be 
ever between you and your enemies. He will multiply 
your seed sown, and open to you the windows of heaven, 
pouring you out blessings till there shall not be room to 
receive them ! You will realize what it is to be " strong 
in the Lord." " One shall chase a thousand, and two 
shall put ten thousand to flight." For, 

"His ways are not our ways, nor his thoughts our 
thoughts." " High as the heavens are above the earth, 
so are his ways above ours." 



CHAPTER XXX. 

Other Helps to the Study or the Bible.— Encouraging indications 
and facts ; importance of knowing the books in their order in the 
Bible, so we can turn to any book and chapter at once ; chapters, 
verses, etc.; meaning of Bible names; Jewish weights, measures, 
etc.; chronology; circumstances and customs; books recommend- 
ed ; church history ; the Holy Land and its surroundings, and 
the maps and books recommended ; variety of maps ; self-made 
maps; various translations; commentaries; history of the times 
of the apostles ; prayer, meditation and reviews. 

It is very encouraging to the friends of Revelation to 
find an increasing attention to Bible study. And the 
increased helps to the better understanding of the Bible 
are encouraging also. Fifty years ago the opposition to 
new translations was common and very great. Now we 
have a revision of the common translation, by a board 
of learned men from various denominations, and this 
in very common use in the Protestant churches. Many 
learned men have made new translations, which are 
very largely read, and various new and learned com- 
mentaries have appeared. Even the Greek text has 
been improved in some minor details, by the use of 
recently discovered manuscripts. New church histories 
have appeared also; and the Holy Land and its sur- 
roundings are certainly understood far more fully and 
generally. 

Still, all has not been done that may be done to pre- 
pare for and aid in the loving study of the sacred 
records. Hence this brief effort. 

Let us carefully note a few items calculated to aid 
this important study : 

(547) 



548 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY 

I. Learning the names and order of the books in the Old 
and New Testaments, 

Mr. Moody tells of his confusion and mortification, 
in his early Bible class experience, because he could not 
readily turn to a chapter and verse, in a given book, 
when the teacher asked him to do so. He could not 
find the book. The writer saw a preacher hurriedly 
looking in the first part of the Old Testament, when the 
teacher called for a given chapter and verse in the New 
Testament ! The boys in the class had been led to con- 
sider this lesson, and were inclined to smile at the ig- 
norance of the preacher ! It is confidently believed 
that the great reason for the prevailing backwardness to 
carry Bibles, and take part in Bible readings and Bible 
classes is, the common lack at this point. It is not be- 
cause they cannot read. People do not know how to 
readily find the book, chapter and verse called for, and 
do not like to expose their ignorance. During my re- 
cent course of Bible lectures in Nazareth University, 
some of the class memorized and repeated, in consecu- 
tive order, all the books in the Bible. Some little girls 
repeated those in the New Testament. Like success has 
followed elsewhere. As a preparation for readily find- 
ing any passage the leader calls for, this is of great im- 
portance. As a test, and for the encouragement of 
others, I ask the class : Between what books will we 
find Joshua ? What book is before, and what one fol- 
lows Psalms ? Between what books will we find Jude ? 
What book precedes and what follows James? etc. 
Those who had studied the lesson could readily tell. 

It is said that a man condemned to solitary confine- 
ment, by three years close study, found that : 

1. The Bible contains sixty-six books; thirty-nine 
in the Old and twenty-seven in the New Testament. 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 549 

2. That it is divided — now — into 1,189 chapters ; 

3. And these, into 31,173 verses. 

4. That it has 773,692 words, and— 

5. In spelling these words 3,566,180 letters are used. 

6. The word reverend is found but one time, and here 
belongs only to Jehovah God. 

7. That the middle verse is Ps. cxviii : 8. 

8. That 2 Kings xix and Isa. xxxvii are [almost] 
alike. 

9. That Esther viii : 9 is the longest verse, and John 
xi : 35 the shortest verse. 

10. That Ps. cvii has verses 8, 15, 21, 31 alike. 

11. That each verse of Ps. cxxxvii ends alike, etc. 
Perhaps it- would be a blessing to us, if, by some 

calamity, or otherwise, we might become equally famil- 
iar with the Bible. ISTo one who venerates the Bible 
should be content short of reading it carefully and con- 
secutively through every year, in morning and evening 
lessons, (besides special readings and investigations.) 
To do this, divide the whole number of chapters by the 
number of days in the year: 1189 divided by 365, equals 
3 and 194-365, or a little more than three chapters each 
day — say four chapters each day, two in the morning 
and two at night. Or, take the verses: 31,173 divided 
by 365, and we have not quite eighty-six verses each 
day. If we read the Old Testament through in our 
morning lessons, we divide 929 by 365 — 2 and 199-365, 
or a little more than two and a half chapters each 
morning. At night we would have less than one chap- 
ter for a lesson in the New Testament. "We can easily 
read one and a half, and so go twice through the New 
Testament each year, and have time to make some com- 
ments, answer questions, etc. Even more than this is 
done by an encouraging number. 



550 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

II. Meaning of proper names in the Bible. 

We would all be largely helped in the study of the 
Bible, if we would learn the meaning, so far as we can, 
of the names of the books in the Bible, and of the per- 
sons and things there referred to. Many persons are 
wearing names now, the meanings of which they do 
not know. What an interesting lesson to study and re- 
peat, in the class, or the family, the meaning of — Bible, 
Genesis, Deuteronomy, Psalms, Proverbs, Prophets, 
Adam, Eve, Abraham, Moses, Samuel, Naomi, Sarah, 
Mary, etc. See Bible dictionaries, and meaning of 
proper names in Teachers' Bible. 

III. The Jewish, Greek and Roman weights and measures, 
their money, coins, time tables, etc. 

See the tables in the Oxford Teachers' Bible, the en- 
cyclopedias or Bible dictionaries, and Living oracles. 

IV. Chronology of the Bible. 

This is of the utmost importance. See Bishop 
Usher's Chronology in reference Bibles in the other 
books named and in the Living Oracles, in Stackhouse, 
etc. To be even approximately correct as to time will 
aid largely. 

Y. Circumstances and customs which gave rise to certain 
words and phrases ; — as 

Abraham's bosom, Anathema Maranatha, Beating the 
air, Book of life, Battles, Bridegroom comes, espoused 
or betrothed, Fiery darts, Key of knowledge, Oil in 
their vessels, sackcloth and ashes, etc. A knowledge of 
these customs and circumstances will explain many 
words and phrases when nothing else will. 

See appendix to large edition to Living Oracles, by 
A. Campbell, for these, for obsolete words, which involve 
changes in our language, for tables, etc. A careful 
study of this appendix will aid wonderfully; and refer- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 551 

ence is made to it and to other familiar works because 
they are, or should be easily in reach of the Bible 
student. 

VI. Bead Church history — and study it. 

It is evident that a number of the leading church his- 
tories are incorrect in many things. Some of these er- 
rors are corrected in more recent church histories ; but 
some " Theological Professors" still trace the church of 
Christ through the Roman hierarchy. Others cut it 
into "branches," or denominations, and would, in this 
way, furnish many brides for the one Bridegroom ! To 
aid at this point, I have given in this work, a scriptural 
definition of the church, and enough extracts and facts 
to show how God's church can be traced from its begin- 
ning to the present time. See the church histories 
generally, the Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, by 
John Brown ; the three large volumes of the Schaff- 
Ilerzog Encyclopedia, etc. 

VII. The Holy Land and its surroundings. 

Many persons are now visiting and exploring the 
Holy Land and its surroundings, and in this way we 
have devolopments of the most thrilling interest ; espe- 
cially from the excavations and discoveries in the 
buried cities and monuments. Few of us can make 
such a visit, or take part in these discoveries; but we 
can profit by the labors of others. Most people can 
read the reports of travelers ; such as Sears', Dr. Rob- 
inson's, Dr. Barclay's city of the Great King, Lands of 
the Bible, by Prof. McGarvey, etc. The best encyclo- 
pedias and the recent church histories will aid us mate- 
rially. Smith's Unabridged Bible dictionary, Coleman's 
Christian Antiquities, Meander's Planting and Training 
of the Church, John's Archeology, Shall 's works, Hack- 



552 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

ett's works, etc., will give important aid. Other works 
are not so generally accessible. But we need : 

VIII. Maps of the Lands of Canaan and its surroundings. 

The small maps in " The Teachers' Bible," aid much 
but will not satisfy us. Some large maps which have been 
recently published, and are for sale by " The Christian 
Publishing Co.," St. Louis, Mo., are far better. They 
show the Holy Land, its mountains, valleys, cities, lakes, 
streams, etc., to great advantage. One of them is a 
combination, map, showing what was, and what is the 
condition of that land, and the surrounding countries. 
Failing to find such a map as I desired, I had my 
daughter to paint one of the Holy Land, as it was in 
the days of Joshua, and showing, in different colors, the 
portions allotted to the different tribes, etc. We ought 
to have large maps showing : 

1. All the Bible lands before Israel entered Caanan. 

2. Their condition after division to the twelve tribes. 
This map should have distinctly marked the forty-eight 
cities for the Levites, and the six cities of refuge in dif- 
ferent colors, the name of each being plainly written ; 
the first altar at Gilgal, near Jericho, the first setting 
up of the tabernacle in Canaan, at Shiloh. Josh, xviii : 
1 ; xx and xxi. It should have marked very distinctly 
all the principle places, so the least experienced can 
easily find them ; and each map should have a scale of 
English miles, that all can measure distances. 

3. One showing the condition of these countries, and 
especially of Canaan, at the birth of the Savior. This 
map should give the political divisions ; as Herod's king- 
dom, the portions governed by Pontius Pilate, the dif- 
ferent tetrarchs, etc. 

4. One showing the present condition of all these 
countries politically and religiously. This would be 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 553 

next to a visit and personal inspection, and, in some re- 
spects, even better. 

The best and most thorough teachers call on their 
classes to make, each for himself, one or all of these 
maps. One might make the first, one or more the sec- 
ond, some the third, and others the fourth, and examine 
them altogether. It would materially aid the memory 
if we would make these maps in our yards, throwing up 
slight elevations for the mountains, so as to show the 
valleys in the Holy Land to advantage, using grass, 
shrubs, and flowers, etc., and carefully marking the 
Jordan, the seas, etc. 

5. Then we need a large map showing Paul's travels, 
especially his great missionary tours, each stopping 
place, and his journey to Rome, which I call his fourth 
missionary tour. On this map all the churches named 
in the New Testament should be distinctly noted. This 
would present John in Patmos, almost in sight of the 
seven churches of Asia, and these churches almost in a 
triangle. After studying this map we would feel almost 
as if we had literally followed Paul, if we were not with 
him or he with us. Certainly, after following him thus, 
and reading the divine records of his labors at each 
place, no one would say Paul did not have a plan well 
defined and clear ; nor could any one fail to understand 
Paul's plan for missionary work; i. e., or God's plan 
acted on by Paul. 

" And when they had gone throughout Phrygia and 
the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy 
Ghost to preach the word in Asia, after we come to 
Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia ; but the Spirit 
suffered them not. And they passing by Mysia came 
down to Troas, and a vision appeared to Paul in the 
night; there stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed 



554 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

him, saying, come over into Macedonia and help us." 
They went at once. This shows that Paul was under 
the guidance of the Spirit. And when he did propose 
to choose his own way, and work on his own plan " the 
Spirit suffered him not." How strange that preachers 
now, with such facts before them, will have their own 
plans and ways, instead of copying the example of Paul ! 
We do not need the special miraculous guidance of the 
Spirit now, because it has given us a pattern, or exam- 
ple, in the life of Paul, and commanded us to follow it. 
Does it not look like rebellion to refuse to follow it, and 
then to " devise ways and means " of our own, and fol- 
low them ? 

Those who do not study all that is included in the 
geography and topography of the lands of the Bible, 
cannot possibly know how very much they miss, or how 
much they would be aided by this study. 

Prof. J. W. McGarvey's "Lands of the Bible," Dr. 
Barclay's City of the Great King, and the works of other 
travelers and explorers, will aid materially in this study. 

IX. Various translations, ancient and modern. 

Only a few persons can profit much by the original. 
The rest are largely dependent on these translations, 
and can greatly profit by them. The expense is not 
great, and it is easy to gather some ten or a dozen trans- 
lations; though a few of these are not complete. Then 
we have translations of special books and passages, in 
the careful investigations of learned men. The careful 
use of these will be of much advantage to the Bible 
student. 

X. Commentaries and paraphrasts. 

These, if used with discrimination, are profitable, but 
I am not prepared to emphasize them so much, owing 
to the constant appearance of tinctures and warpings 



LIVE REL1GI0 US ISS UES OF THE DA Y. 555 

resulting from the denominational peculiarities of their 
authors. 

XI. History of the times of the apostles. If the geography 
and topography of the country are important to the 
understanding of the holy Scriptures, surely the condition 
of the world, during the life and labors ot the Savior and 
the apostles, cannot he less so. This includes sects and 
parties, peculiar words and phrases, societies, customs and 
habits of all classes ; as their races, boxing games, mar- 
riages manner of travel, eating, dressing, sleeping, 
working, warring, burying the dead, the temple, and 
synagogue service, etc. See Coleman's Christian An- 
tiquities and similar works. 

XII. Prayer, meditation and reviews. 

Possibly some one is ready to enquire why I note 
prayer as an aid to Bible study, since we do not look 
for new revelations now. The reason is, prayer — true, 
sincere prayer, from a pure heart, aids in preparing our 
minds for study, as well as our hearts to receive, like 
good ground, the seed of the kingdom. The effect of 
prayer upon us is of the utmost importance in all the 
affairs of life, and especially in the study of the Bible. 
Hence, David prayed, Ps. cxix : 18: "Open thou mine 
eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy 
law." This was not praying for a new revelation, but 
for ability to understand the revelation already given. 
And did not Paul say, "Meditate on these things?" 
"Think on these things?" Did not Jesus teach his 
disciples to count up the cost? This requires going 
back, reconsidering, comparing, and in this way profit- 
ing by the past, and summing up the whole for a grand 
conclusion. So David did, and taught Israel to do, 
when he said, Ps. xxxvii : 25 : "I have been young, and 



556 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

now I am old ; yet have I not seen the righteous for- 
saken, nor his seed begging bread." 

King Solomon, near the close of his wonderful life, 
does this. See Ecc. ii and xii. He tried everything, to 
" see what was that good thing the sons of men might 
look after ; " and found " all was vanity and vexation of 
spirit ; " that " wisdom excelleth folly as far as light ex- 
celleth darkness ; " and that " the fear of the Lord is 
the beginning of wisdom." For " wisdom and know- 
ledge, far from being one, ofttimes have no connection : 
Knowledge, the material with which wisdom builds, till 
hewed, and squared, and fitted to its place, oft serves 
but to encumber that which it serves to enrich." Wis- 
dom is the right use of knowledge and of all else we 
have, and no matter how much we have learned, or 
what we possess, we have not even begun to be wise, 
till we commence to " fear God and keep his command- 
ments." All our researches and accumulations should, 
therefore, be directed to this one end. ~No man is real- 
ly educated till he learns to fear God. And what we 
need to learn and teach to others is, that which will cul- 
minate in the loving and confiding service of Jesus 
Christ, God's Son, and the " Author of eternal salva- 
tion to all them that obey him." 



CHAPTER XXXI. 

Conclusion.— Conclusion of time, and preparation for it ; the ten- 
dency of sin and evil, and of truth and purity ; the religion of 
children and of parents ; the wise and safe course ; the few who 
hunger for such a book; the thirteen leading items had constant- 
ly in view in this book. 

The wisest man in many respects, that ever lived, or 
ever will live, summing up all, at the close of his life, 
said, Ecc. xii : 13, 14 : 

" Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter : 
Fear God, and keep his commandments : for this is the 
whole duty [or happiness] of man. For God shall 
bring every work into judgment, with every secret 
thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil." 

^\Ve cannot be far from that fearful day. Even the 
young should feel that " the time is short." Hence the 
wisdom in the declaration, that no one is prepared to live 
here, and be safe and happy, till he is certainly prepared 
for the judgment to come. All experience has proved 
that Paul was right when he said, in 1 Tim. iv : 8 : 

" For bodily exercise profiteth little ; [or for a little 
time. — marg.] but godliness is profitable for all things ; 
having promise of the life that now is, and of that 
which is to come." 

Obedience to parents is the religion of children till 
they learn the higher authority ; and the first command 
to them with promise (and there is no command with- 
out a promise, expressed or implied,) has this: "Long 
life and good days." Eph. vi : 1-3; Col. iii : 20. 
How wisely adapted to children — and to us all ! All 

(557) 



558 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

desire to live. All desire to be happy. And all the ex- 
periences of man have shown that Solomon was practi- 
cally correct in saying for wisdom. Pro v. viii : 36 : " But 
he that sinneth against me [wisdom] wrongeth his own 
soul." 

The certain tendency of sin is, to shorten life, and to 
embitter it. The Old and New Testaments both teach 
this, and the history and experience of man proves its 
truthfulness. Did not Jesus say that the disobedient 
were like one so foolish as to build his house on the sand, 
(Matt, vii : 26, 27 ;) when it would cost no more to build 
on the rock, and when he knew the rains would come, 
the storms would blow and beat upon it, and that it 
would fall — fall to rise no more ! What unutterable folly ! 

But we must know God's commandments before we 
can do them. "We must walk in the light ; not in the 
darkness ; must work by rule ; not by guess. Hence 
this book. It would teach all the teachable how to 
obey God. And to be sure, it begins where the Bible 
begins, and stops where it stops. It would not be wise 
above what is written. And, concerning all the greater 
matters, it would, as far as practicable, call Bible things 
by Bible names. It would, also, set the commandments 
and ordinances of men on the left hand, and God's com- 
mandments on the right, as the Judge will all the sheep 
and the goats at the last day. Matt, xxv : 32, 33. His 
distinction is of the greatest importance. For men are 
prone to follow men rather than their Maker, and to 
observe human ordinances rather than the ordinances of 
God, which alone have in them the waters of life. 

The writer takes this course, owing to the pressing 
necessities of the case, well knowing that the class of 
people who will buy and read the book is small, very 
small, as compared to the numbers who will read novels, 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 559 

sensational stories, books that please the fancy of the 
unwise, and cause them to laugh and be merry. He 
thinks there is greater need for tears than for smiles ; 
that, as saith Ecc. vii : 2 : 

" It is better to go to the house of mourning than to 
the house of feasting ; for that is the end of all men ; 
and the living will lay it to his heart." 

Such books will not sell and be read so extensively. 
There is not so much money in them. And in propor- 
tion as they closely follow the divine teaching, so will 
they be unsavory to the masses. They have no appe- 
tite for such food. It was just so with the Savior. 
They were ready to take him, and by force make him 
King. But so soon as he pointed out their sins, and 
demanded of them purity, humility and justice, they 
hated him to the death. There were some wise ones 
then, however, and there are some now. This is com- 
forting. To these we look for co-operation and aid. 

Before closing, permit me to call special attention to 
a few of the 

POINTS CLEARLY MADE OUT IN THIS BOOK. 

A few persons will read the work a second time, and 
may preserve it for reference, and this imperfect recapit- 
ulation may aid them. Intending, so far as possible, to 
meet the demands of the case as it is, and as it doubt- 
less will be for years to come, these points have been 
especially considered : 

I. The daily reading and study of the Bible, and how 
to do this to the best advantage. 

II. The perfection of the scheme of redemption set 
forth in the holy Scriptures. 

III. The foundation, nature, membership, organiza- 
tion, duty, history and destiny of the church. 

IV. The danger of apostasy now, as shown by apos- 



560 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

tolic teaching, and exemplified by the first apostasy; 
the agents and instrumentalities by which the first apos- 
tasy was brought about, and the workings of the same 
agents and instrumentalities now to the same end : his- 
tory precisely repeating itself. 

V. These agents and means are, principally, those 
which should build up, and extend the church, keep it 
united and pure, and make it triumphant. 

VI. Of these, we see the forefront, the preachers, 
perversions of the Scriptures, to serve selfish and^party 
purposes, and human inventions and innovations, for 
the work and worship of God. 

VII. The inefficiency of the bishops and deacons, 
superinduced by the assumptions and lordly course of 
the clergy preachers. Hence, the effort here to educate, 
train and put forward such elders as may become effi- 
cient officers in the congregations, and so renounce the 
seeming necessity of the one man hired pastor and " the 
kingdom of the clergy. Till this is done it is vain to 
claim apostolic Christianity or look for apostolic success. 

VIII. Scriptural church co-operation, zeal and liber- 
ality in and for every good work. These — and only 
these — will remain the claimed necessity for humanly 
organized societies to do the work of the church. 

IX. The proper attention to singing, the divinely 
chosen music for and of the church ; teaching it, study- 
ing it, preaching it, till the dullest can see its excellence 
above all human instruments. Properly set this forth, 
and all the wise of heart will see its superiority, and no 
more desire the flesh pots of Egypt, or instrumental 
music in the worship. 

X The proper position and duty of woman in the 
work and worship of God. 

This book investigates candidly and carefully the 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OE THE DAY. 561 

teachings of the Scriptures, with no hias or preference 
whatever, except to find out the meaning of the in- 
spired record. There have been extremes on both sides, 
and most of the investigations, so far as I have seen, 
have been in support of one or the other of these ex- 
tremes, instead of simply trying to find what is taught, 
and being con tent with it. And has it not clearly appeared 
that, while woman has an exceedingly important place 
in the family, in the church and in society generally, 
from which she has been largely excluded by one ex- 
treme, yet she is not to be preacher, pastor, head and 
ruler of man, and therefore not an organizer or man- 
ager of waman's societies, involving public lectures, and 
general leadership, etc. This modern work of women 
most clearly indicates her unrest and insubordination to 
God and to man. It is bad for men to presume to or- 
ganize societies to do the Avork of the church, but it is 
worse for women, because it shows that she is not con- 
tent to be second or subordinate to man, as God made 
her, and as Paul plainly taught her to be. 

We have the same spirit of rule manifested, sometimes 
otherwise, and when certainly no evil is intended. They 
get up feasts, festivals, suppers, concerts, mite societies, 
sewing societies, etc., and spend more time, money and 
labor on them than would be required to put the 
money made into the Lord's treasury in the Lord's way. 
Then they generally wish to control this money after 
their own leading fancy, and often not for the best. Or 
the "hired pastor" desiring to popularize himself, ex- 
tend his pastorate, his influence, and his salary, appeals 
to certain sisters. They readily take the matter in 
hand, and show themselves "the power behind the 
throne." They and some young people even less capa- 
ble of ruling conclude that the organ would aid much 
36 



562 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

and they get up a special fund, (for it is not easy to re- 
fuse the appeal of a worthy woman,) and soon the organ 
is in, and perhaps some other improvements (?) are 
made. They reason — not as to what is scriptural or 
just, but this way : We cannot please everybody, and 
let the objectors go; the gain will be greater than the 
loss; never mind their feelings or consciences. Thus 
trampling on the law of love, and on truth and justice, 
and they serve the preacher, and their own fancy to the 
injury of the cause. 

If the scriptural bishops would call these sisters to do 
any thing scripturally and properly belonging to them, 
they would do it well and gladly ; for they are general- 
ly better workers than men. They can visit and wait 
on the sick, reclaim erring sisters, especially, or warn 
them against dangers; look out homes for orphans and 
widows, and care for them, etc. If, by fire, or other 
special calamity, there is a demand on the church 
treasury beyond its capacity, they can succeed better 
than men, in special collections ; but all by the direction 
and under the supervision of the bishops. In their own 
place, and at their own work they are superior to 
angels. They can sing, read, pray, exhort, teach in the 
Bible class, or in some orderly way, prompt, encourage, 
and so be true, pure, and divinely appointed help-metes 
for men. But they cannot be preachers, leaders, or 
rulers. 

I love good women next to my Savior. They are the 
best representatives of angels and the purity of heaven ; 
and this love prompts this "plainness of speech." It 
forbids indifference while they are in the wrong place, 
or at the work especially provided for men. God bless 
them ! No one deserving to be called a man can see 
them wronged and be quiet. He cannot see them hin- 



LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 563 

dered from any work or privilege assigned them by nature 
and the Bible. Nor can he allow any work or burden 
put on them which belongs peculiarly to men. Still, 
their best activities and their greatest usefulness, their 
safety and their joy, will be found in the place, and at 
the work scripturally allotted to them. 

XI. Demonstrating the fact that, the sharpest issues 
can be investigated, errors exposed, and truth enforced, 
without bitterness, hard words, hasty criminations, or 
willingly judging motives. 

The scriptural examples require us to give full credit 
for all the good the erring or others have or do, and 
then, in the same candid style, point out their errors 
and dangers. See the letter to the seven churches of 
Asia. But no bitterness, no spirit of strife, no readiness 
to impute bad motives, and so needlessly excite ill feel- 
ing, and thus frustrate and hinder the end which the 
spiritually minded would reach. I greatly fear that I 
have not done as well here as I might; but I have much 
pleasure in knowing I have tried to give a lesson that 
will prove the practicability of following the apostolic 
example, and the inutility and sinfulness of much we 
all deplore in our religious (?) literature, debating, etc. 

XII. Following and recommending the safe plan in 
all things; avoiding risks so far as this maybe done; 
and making sure work for eternity, whether convenient 
or not. 

This is exemplified in immersion, kneeling in prayer, 
when we can, calling each thing by the name given it 
in the Bible ; following the Bible in all things to the 
letter and in the spirit, so far as we can ; earnestly con- 
tending for every item of the faith, and for no opinions 
and human preferences; rather suffering wrong thaD 



564 LIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY. 

doing wrong, etc. And it is confidently presumed that 
no reasonable being can imagine a better way. 

XIII. Constantly encouraging faith, purity, love, 
union, patience, forbearance, Christian knowledge, 
prayer, good works, and every grace and virtue belong- 
ing to Christianity ; and discouraging every evil. 

If this end has been, in any measure attained, no one 
can carefully and candidly read the book without profit. 
Every reader should have all the evil propensities of his 
nature restrained, and all his good purposes encouraged 
and strengthened. The writer regrets most deeply that 
he cannot do more towards restraining evil and promot- 
ing virtue and truth ; towards the union and upbuilding 
of God's people, the purity of the worship, the salva- 
tion of sinners and the glory of Christ. But he blesses 
God that he can do a little in a cause so great and so 
worthy. And he devoutly and confidently prays for 
the divine blessing upon his labor, and that God will 
raise up others to do better and more work of this kind, 
till the " earth shall be full of the knowledge of God as 
the waters cover the sea ; " and " the will of God be done 
on earth as it is in heaven." The Lord hasten this glad 
day ! Amen ! 



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